U.S. conditions merger of two big packaging firms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Graphic Packaging Corp (GPK.N) has been given conditional approval to merge with Altivity Packaging LLC, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.

The companies will be required to divest paperboard mills in Indiana and Pennsylvania to move forward with the merger, which the Justice Department valued at $1.75 billion.

Graphic Packaging's shareholders approved the proposed merger on January 17.

Altivity makes a variety of packaging for food, juices, beer, pet and wild bird food, and other products.

Graphic Packaging makes boxes, bottles and other packaging for consumer products such as ice cream, microwave dinners, pharmaceuticals, beer and soda pop.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Andre Grenon)