NEWS
Combining strengths
Arla acquires Falbygdens Ost A
rla Foods in Sweden is acquiring cheese company Falbygdens Ost from the food company Atria Scandinavia. The acquisition is in line with Arla’s strategy to drive its premium cheese segment. The acquisition is subject to approval from the Swedish Competition Authority. “Falbygdens Ost is a strategic complement to Arla’s own cheese business. Through its acquisition, Arla is adding further value to its farmer-owner milk and thus it continues to be profitable,” says Henri de Sauvage, executive vice-president of Arla Foods in Sweden. Falbygdens Ost has operations in Falköping, where they mature and process cheese by flavouring and packaging. The company buys its cheese from other manufacturers and has approximately 100 employees, sales of around SEK 470 million and is currently owned by Atria Scandinavia, which in turn is part of the listed Finnish group Atria Abp. Visit: www.arla.com
STRABAG takes over industry services provider DIW
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TRABAG SE has acquired DIW Instandhaltung Ltd & Co. KG of Stuttgart, a 100% subsidiary of Voith GmbH, for integration into its property and facility services division STRABAG PFS. With the acquisition, STRABAG PFS expands its service portfolio to include industrial cleaning and consolidates its position as the second-largest facility services company in Germany. DIW’s approximately 6000 employees generate revenue of about € 175 million a year. Of this amount, 75% is generated in Germany, where
HEXPOL acquires VIGAR Rubber Compounding
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EXPOL has signed an agreement to acquire the VIGAR Rubber Compounding business within Grupo Vigar from the founders’ families. Vigar Rubber Compounding has more than 50 years’ experience of rubber compounding and is today a well-known rubber compounder in the Spanish and German markets.
18 Industry Europe
the company has a nationwide presence, and 25% at its nine locations in Austria. The company’s services primarily cover technical industrial cleaning as well as infrastructural and technical facility management for industrial companies. “With DIW, we are acquiring a successful company that perfectly complements the services offered by STRABAG PFS. DIW’s industrial focus is a valuable addition to our range of services and our circle of clients,” says Thomas Birtel, CEO of STRABAG SE. Visit: www.strabag.com According to Ralph Wolkener, president HEXPOL Compounding Europe: “The acquisition is a very good complement to HEXPOL Compounding in Europe and broadens and strengthens our presence with rubber compounds in the Spanish and German markets.” Vigar Rubber Compounding, with manufacturing facilities in Rubi, Spain and Viersen, Germany, had a turnover of €57 million in 2013 .
Tessenderlo Group and TETRA Chemicals form partnership
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essenderlo Group and TETRA Chemicals Europe AB (a subsidiary of TETRA Technologies, Inc.) have signed a long-term agreement with regard to the production and marketing of calcium chloride. Tessenderlo Group will build a new calcium chloride production plant on its site in Ham, Belgium and TETRA Chemicals will market the product. The agreement will allow both parties to strengthen their respective global positions as market leaders in calcium chloride (TETRA Chemicals) and potassium sulphate (Tessenderlo Group). As a result of the agreement that was concluded between Tessenderlo Group and TETRA Chemicals, Tessenderlo Group will invest in the construction of a new calcium chloride plant in Ham. The new production plant, which will be fully owned by Tessenderlo Group, is scheduled to be operational in the third quarter of 2015. The new plant will process part of the hydrochloric acid from the sulphate plant into calcium chloride. This strategically important investment confirms Tessenderlo Group’s commitment in the Belgian plant and in the development of its potassium sulphate business. With this investment, Tessenderlo Group will be in a better position to take advantage of the growing market demand for potassium sulphate, especially from the agricultural sector that applies increasingly intensive farming methods. Visit: www.tessenderlo.com
Georg Brunstam, CEO HEXPOL Group, said: “This is a further step in expanding and strengthening the HEXPOL Group with a further acquisition within our core business. Vigar Rubber Compounding, with its competence and capabilities, will fit nicely into the HEXPOL Group and gives us a stronger European presence.” Visit: www.hexpolcompounding.com
