JEFFERSON Smurfit has sold 50 per cent of its Paclene subsidiary in Ennis, Co Clare, to British Polythene Industries for an undisclosed sum.

A spokesman for Smurfit said that the consideration paid by BPI for a half stake in Paclene, which manufactures plastic packaging, was "not material", although the company had a turnover last year of £12.3 million. Paclene employs 65 people at its manufacturing plant in Ennis.

BPI and Smurfit are setting up a new joint venture company to acquire Paclene, with both having equal shares in the new company. The Smurfit spokesman said that the new company will concentrate on building up domestic sales by substituting for checkout packaging which is currently imported by the Irish multiples. Most of Paclene's production is currently exported.

Smurfit has also sold two of its British subsidiaries, Swains Packaging and Smurfit Packaging Products, to BPI for undisclosed sums. The two subsidiaries had a combined turnover in 1995 of £10.9 million.

Swains is based in Essex and manufactures polythene products for a diverse customer base,