Berry Plastics Corp., which owns and operates a plastics plant in northern Lawrence, now has a new name: Berry Plastics Group Inc.

The Evansville, Ind.-based company took on the new name after closing its planned stock-for-stock merger Tuesday with Covalence Specialty Materials Holding Corp., with operations based in Bedminster, N.J.

Going into the merger, Berry had 25 manufacturing plants and 6,500 employees, including about 500 in Lawrence. The company makes drink cups, garden tools, kitchenware and other products in Lawrence at 2330 Packer Road.

Covalence, with more than 7,000 employees working in 37 manufacturing centers, makes plastic films, industrial tapes, medical specialties, packaging, heat-shrinkable coatings and specialty laminates.

Ira Boots, chairman and chief executive officer of Berry, and Brent Beeler, chief operating officer, remain in the same roles with the combined company. Kip Smith, the former chief executive officer of Covalence, will continue to run the Covalence businesses.