Linking up Combining strengths

NEWS

Combining strengths

Arla acquires Falbygdens Ost Tessenderlo Group and TETRA Chemicals Arla 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. form partnershipThe 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

Tessenderlo 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 posiSTRABAG SE has acquired DIW Instandhal tung Ltd & Co. KG of Stuttgart, a 100% - tion to take advantage of the growing market demand for potassium sulphate, especially from subsidiary of Voith GmbH, for integration the agricultural sector that applies increasingly into its property and facility services division intensive farming methods. STRABAG PFS. With the acquisition, STRABAG Visit: www.tessenderlo.com 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 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

HEXPOL acquires VIGAR Rubber Compounding

HEXPOL 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.

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 .

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

LINKINGUP

Tikkurila to purchase ISO Paint Nordic

Tikkurila has agreed on the acquisition of the business of ISO Paint Nordic AS, which focuses on developing, manufacturing and selling energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable coatings.

The acquisition will complement Tikkurila’s professional product range, technologies and expertise in energy-efficient coating solutions and solutions which extend the life cycle of structures. For example, the products reduce the amount of heating or cooling energy needed in buildings. “This acquisition supports our profitable growth strategy well. Demand for energyefficient and eco-efficient solutions has clearly grown in the recent years, and we expect this positive trend to continue,” says Erkki Järvinen, President and CEO of Tikkurila.

ISO Paint Nordic is the market leader in its sector in Scandinavia. The revenue of the acquired business amounted to approximately €7.5 million in 2013 and it had approximately 20 employees. The company has a modern and efficient production facility in Lunderskov, Denmark. The company’s products are sold in about 20 countries. In addition to the Nordic countries, its main markets include Germany, France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Australia. Visit: www.tikkurila.com

VTG acquires AEE to expand wagon leasing fleet

VTG Aktiengesellschaft has acquired the wagon hire company AAE, Ahaus Alstätter Eisenbahn Holding AG. This merger enables VTG to strengthen its position as the largest private wagon hire company in Europe, with a fleet consisting of around 80,000 wagons. The main focus of the newly acquired fleet is on combined transport wagons which in turn rounds off VTG’s wagon and service range in Europe and closes a vital gap in its product portfolio.

“Acquiring AAE represents a major strategic step forward for our company,” explains Dr Heiko Fischer, CEO of VTG Aktiengesellschaft. “The merger of two innovation leaders will lead to the establishment of the only single-source provider of all essential wagon segments for rail freight transportation throughout Europe. This will open us up to new customer groups and allow us to continue to address the market segment with the strongest growth potential.”

AAE is a leading provider as a rental company for combined transport services. ‘Combined’ or ‘intermodal’ transportation refers to all forwarding and transport operations which involve the same loading units, e.g. containers, by rail combined with other modes of transport. Visit: www.vtg.com

Danfoss and Vacon to join forces

Danfoss has announced a public tender offer for all shares of the Finnish AC drives company Vacon.

“After a careful examination of Danfoss’ offer, the board of directors of Vacon has unanimously decided to recommend that the shareholders accept it. By joining forces, the two companies will create a Nordic-based global player – a new AC drives business with the clear ambition to build a leading position in the AC drives market,” says Panu Routila, chairman of the board at Vacon.

The background for Danfoss’ offer is the company’s strategic focus on creating profitable growth. Vacon is a good match to achieve this ambition. Today, both Danfoss Power Electronics and Vacon are significant players in the AC drives business, and together they will gain an even stronger market position.

“We have a clear strategic ambition to be one of the absolute top players in the businesses in which we operate. Vacon is a very strong and innovative player and by creating this new drives business we can ensure a strong long-term growth trajectory,” says Niels B. Christiansen, Danfoss CEO. Visit: www.danfoss.com

H+H to acquire Grupa Ozarow’s aircrete activities

H+H International subsidiary H+H Polska Sp. z.o.o. has signed an agreement with Grupa Ozarow SA to acquire 100% of the shares in its Polish aircrete company Grupa Prefabet SA for a total consideration of PLN 60 million. Grupa Prefabet Sp. SA is one of the main aircrete producers in Poland with five production plants. Revenue in 2013 was DKK 133 million. Poland is the biggest aircrete market in Europe, but activity levels have dropped significantly in recent years owing to the market slowdown, which has led to extensive overcapacity and lack of profitability among producers. .

Michael T. Andersen, CEO of H+H International, says: “This is in line with our announced strategy of consolidating H+H’s position as one of the leading European aircrete suppliers and become the overall number one within our chosen geographical footprint. It is expected that the combined Polish aircrete activities will gain from economy of scale in the competitive Polish market and will be able to capture significant cost and efficiency synergies.” Visit: www.hplush.com