The merger will see Billerud, the majority shareholder, strengthening its offering to the packaging market.Nine offers business strategy services focusing on packaging, category development and new product launches, graphic and structural design, plus surveys and qualitative studies of future consumer behaviour. The company works with leading actors in several sectors."This new impetus, primarily on the design side combined with a global network of ethnographers and trend scouts, will make NINE a really interesting innovation partner for brand owners who understand the importance of investing in packaging as a competitive tool," says Jon Haag, Managing Director of Nine AB.Nine's customers are mainly found in the fast moving consumer goods market, but its customer base also includes the packaging industry and the retail business. As consumption patterns change and packaging becomes an even more important tool for communication and marketing to consumers, demand is growing for wide-ranging expertise in packaging innovation and strategies spanning the entire product lifecycle.Nine also works on innovation and vision projects for the Swedish Forest Industries Federation. The company currently has 15 employees.