NEWS
Combining strengths
Novoferm acquires Molex acquires the heavy-duty connector business of Westec European Holdings BV, a subsidiary of ing technical expertise in the automation and Alpha Deuren Molex Molex Incorporated, has recently acquired commercial sectors along with competitive
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ovoferm, one of the bigger European system providers of doors, gates, frames, and drives, takes over the Dutch company Alpha Deuren International BV, one of the renowned sectionaldoor-producers in Europe. This acquisition strengthens Novoferm’s international position, particularly in the area of industrial doors. “Through this acquisition, we are expanding our product portfolio and sustainably reinforcing our profile in the international market. Alpha Deuren is a perfect fit for Novoferm, both operationally as well as strategically. Both companies share the same corporate philosophy based on innovative power, uncompromising quality, and reliability. Additionally, this strategic move offers numerous synergistic benefits, especially in the field of industrial doors,” commented Rainer Schackmann, CEO of the Novoferm Group. Alpha Deuren International BV, based in Didam, has about 150 employees. It is particularly strong in countries such as Germany, France and in the Netherlands, and distributes solely via specialist distributors. Aside from ISO- and aluminum sectional doors for industrial buildings, the company’s product range also includes garage doors for residential construction. Visit: www.novoferm.de
Sika acquires Swiss adhesives manufacturer Klebag
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ika is acquiring the business of Klebag Chemie AG, a manufacturer of adhesives for the sealing, bonding and flooring markets. The takeover strengthens Sika’s position in the Swiss interior finishing sector. Klebag Chemie AG has developed a comprehensive range of adhesives, coatings
18 Industry Europe
the heavy-duty connector business of Westec Srl, an industrial connector manufacturer based in Milan, Italy. Westec’s business consists of the manufacturing of more than 6000 products, including a wide range of junction boxes, multi-pole connectors and connector assemblies designed for automation, robotics and other harsh-duty industrial applications. According to Tim Ruff, Molex senior vice-president of business development and corporate strategy, the acquisition expands the Molex industrial connector offering to customers worldwide. The Westec portfolio aligns well with Molex robust Brad® Power and MicroChange® M12 Interconnect Solutions designed to simplify machine builder design, installation and maintenance processes. “Westec has earned a strong reputation for engineering innovation. Their team of experienced professionals brings to Molex outstand-
lead times to more efficiently serve industrial customers,” adds Ruff. Visit: www.molex.com Tim Ruff
INglass acquires the French company ERMO
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Nglass SpA, a global plastics industry leader in lighting application moulds and hot runner systems, has announced the acquisition of ERMO, a French leader in the manufacture of multicavity high precision moulds. INglass made this decision in order to create a leading supplier of moulds and services with high technological content for the plastic moulding process, ranging from automotive lighting to personal care, cosmetics, medical and closures. This transaction will lead INglass to the further diversification of its activities. The two companies will continue focusing on their own key activities, capitalising on the synergies arising from this transaction. ERMO will benefit from the global presence of INglass with its two production plants in Italy and in China (Hangzhou) and a third opening soon in the US, as well as its strong presence in the Asian market. Furthermore, the deep experience of ERMO in high precision multicavity molds will allow INglass to achieve a broader customer portfolio, improving the supply of mould products with a wider variety of solutions. Visit: www.inglass.it and fillers for the interior finishing market in Switzerland. The company has a strong customer base and is known to provide a high standard of customer service, technical support and training. After the acquisitions of Akzo Nobel’s Building Adhesives business, Everbuild Building Products and Optiroc in 2013, as well as Technokolla in 2011, this takeover represents
another step in the strengthening of Sika’s position in the interior finishing sector. Paul Schuler, regional manager EMEA, said: “This acquisition will provide Sika with a solid platform from which to expand our interior finishing business in the Swiss market, particularly with regard to professional contractors.” Visit: www.sika.com
