NEWS
Combining strengths
ASSA ABLOY acquires Silvana and Metalika in Brazil Axfood and WWF ABLOY has signed an agreement to initiate collaboration ASSA acquire Silvana, a leading lock company, and acquired Metalika, a leading steel fire door for sustainable fish has company, both located in Brazil.
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xfood and WWF have signed a cooperation agreement surrounding sustainable fishing. The aim is to improve the environmental situation at sea and as part of this to make sure that Axfood will meet its goal to sell sustainable fish products in the Willys, Hemköp and Axfood Snabbgross grocery chains. Above all the objective is to achieve the goal to sell only fish assigned a ‘green light’ by WWF’s 2020 seafood guide. Both Axfood and WWF have provided financial support for the development of methods and tools for Swedish harvesting of North Sea shrimp in an effort to increase the amount of ecolabelled Swedish shrimp. Axfood now wants to take a further step and deepen its collaboration with WWF by investing in concrete projects to drive this development forward. “We must work constantly and actively to develop the offering at our fish counters,” comments Åsa Domeij, head of Environment and Social Responsibility at Axfood. “It is a matter of highlighting good alternatives, working with ecolabelling, communicating with customers and more. This requires constant knowledgesharing, which is something we will gain with the help of WWF.” Visit: www.axfood.se
Benecke-Kaliko acquires two Mecaseat companies
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he Hannover-based Benecke-Kaliko Group, part of Germany’s Continental Corporation, has announced that it is expanding production of foils for car interiors in southern and eastern Europe. On 1 November 2014 Benecke-Kaliko took over two sites from Belgium’s Mecaseat Group.
18 Industry Europe
“I am very pleased that Silvana and Metalika are joining the ASSA ABLOY Group. Silvana and Metalika represent the group’s first major acquisitions in the large Brazilian market. This constitutes an important next step in our strategy to grow market presence in emerging markets,” says Johan Molin, president and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. “With these two important acquisitions, ASSA ABLOY will now offer more comprehensive door opening solutions across the large Brazilian market,” says Thanasis Molokotos, executive vice-president of ASSA ABLOY and head of the Americas Division. Silvana was established in 1964 and is located in Campina Grande, Paraiba, in northeastern Brazil. Metalika, established in 1999, is located in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Together they double ASSA ABLOY’s existing presence and add approximately 410 employees. Visit: www.assaabloy.com
Nizi International and Chemalloy reach agreement
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izi International (Nizi) and Chemalloy Company, Inc. (Chemalloy) have reached a non-binding agreement by which Nizi is to acquire substantially all of the business and assets of Chemalloy. Chemalloy specialises in the manufacturing of custom sized alloys, metals, minerals and chemicals for various industrial applications. It is the leading supplier of metal powders to the North American welding industry. Headquartered in Bryn Mawr, PA, Chemalloy employs approximately 85 people. Nizi is a leading marketer and distributor of ferroalloys, base metals and foundry products. Historically, the core market of Nizi has been Europe, while the acquisition of Miller and Company in 2012 strengthened the group in the US foundry market. The acquisition of Chemalloy will further strengthen the Nizi Group in North America. Dag Teigland, CEO at Holta Invest and Chairman of Nizi International, commented on the announcement: “Nizi International represents our long-term industrial commitment towards the metal industry and we have high ambitions for the future development of the Nizi Group. With a strong financial platform, a highly dedicated organisation and a robust business model Nizi is well positioned for growth and further geographical expansion. Chemalloy fits right into this strategy.” Visit: www.nizi.com The first of these is Mecaseat’s Spanish company Gorvi SA in Pamplona, which supplies customers in Spain, France and North Africa; the second is its Polish company Mecapol in Wagrowiec, which supplies eastern European and Russian customers with foils and upholstery materials. “We didn’t just want to buy the business, but also its manufacturing capacities,”
says chairman of the executive board of Benecke-Kaliko, Dr Dirk Leiß. “With access to the market in southern Europe, we are sending a clear signal for further growth with French and Spanish manufacturers.” Benecke-Kaliko operates four plants worldwide in China, Germany and Mexico. The company posted sales of €392m in 2013. Visit: www.benecke-kaliko.com
