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Linking up Combining strengths
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Combining strengths
Axfood and WWF initiate collaboration for sustainable fish
Axfood 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
ASSA ABLOY has signed an agreement to acquire Silvana, a leading lock company, and has acquired Metalika, a leading steel fire door company, both located in Brazil.
“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
Nizi 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
Benecke-Kaliko acquires two Mecaseat companies
The 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.
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.
Benecke-Kaliko operates four plants worldwide in China, Germany and Mexico. The company posted sales of €392m in 2013. Visit: www.benecke-kaliko.com
LINKINGUP
Acquisition to power growth for Ricardo
Ricardo’s ambition to become the international partner of choice for the world’s motorcycle industries has been underscored with the announcement that the company has acquired UK consultancy Vepro Ltd, and is forming a new global motorcycle-focused business. The formation of the new Ricardo Motorcycles business of Ricardo plc combines the strengths of the company’s extensive existing in-house motorcycle engineering team, based at the company’s Schwäbisch Gmünd Technical Centre in southern Germany, with the UK based independent motorcycle, powersport and niche vehicle consultancy Vepro.
This expansion of in-house capability also builds upon the collaboration with Exnovo Srl of Italy. It enables Ricardo to provide an unprecedented level of full product development capability – applicable to the demands of the rapidly growing urban mobility sector in all parts of the world, and ranging from concept design to niche manufacture – for motorcycles, scooters and other two-, three- and small four-wheeler products.
The company’s CEO Dave Shemmans said: “From the luxury, high performance motorcycle brands of Europe, North America and Japan, to the much higher volume economy-focused commuter products of many Asian manufacturers, the global urban mobility sector is one in which Ricardo plc has a very significant role to play.” Visit: www.ricardo.com
Peab acquires construction companies in northern Norway
Peab, one of the Nordic region’s leading construction and civil engineering companies, has signed an agreement to acquire the companies Nilsen & Haukland AS and AS Bogstrand based in Harstad in northern Norway. The companies are part of the same group and are engaged in contract and construction services
The overall turnover of the companies for the fiscal year 2013 was 221 MNOK. Together they employ 120 people. The acquisition requires approval from the Norwegian competition authorities and admission is expected to occur during the fourth quarter of 2014.
Peab is the Nordic Community Builder with some 13,000 employees and net sales exceeding SEK 40 billion. The group’s subsidiaries have strategically located offices in Sweden, Norway and Finland. Visit: www.peab.com
Scheidt & Bachmann and IVU form sales collaboration
Scheidt & Bachmann’s Fare Collection Systems division and IVU Traffic Technologies AG have agreed to form a worldwide sales partnership and bundle together the strengths of both companies: Scheidt & Bachmann provides comprehensive systems for fare management while IVU offers IT solutions for fleet management (ITCS), passenger information and driver-operated vending systems. Through joint collaboration, both companies can now offer complete systems, ranging from ticket sales and validation, access control, onboard computer, and control centres to dynamic information at bus stops and on mobile devices. This is based on integrated data and information management for their customers.
As a first result of this collaboration the companies demonstrated a farebox which integrates both companies’ systems. This solution combines ticketing functions such as ticket sales & validation with comprehensive ITS functionalities.
“With IVU AG we have the perfect partner to expand our expertise in ticketing with superb fleet control and passenger information systems,” says Matthias Augustyniak, managing director at Scheidt & Bachmann. Visit: www.scheidt-bachmann.de
Soudal acquires Polish adhesive manufacturer Bochem
Soudal has announced the full takeover of Zaklady Chemiczne Bochem Sp. z.o.o., Poland’s independent manufacturer of industrial adhesives for the furniture, shoemaking, construction and automotive industries. Bochem employs a staff of 88. Established in 1991, today Bochem not only supplies a wide range of adhesives to various industries but has also established a successful business unit for the production of modified starch for the drywall industry, as well as a business unit for adhesive based lamination.
Bochem will continue to operate under its own name as a daughter company of the Soudal group. The current management will remain in place. For Soudal, this acquisition means the further extension of its technical competence and experience in adhesive technologies, combined with a wide-ranging portfolio of products.
Vic Swerts, founder and chairman of Soudal, said: “The takeover of Bochem is an important step for us and offers us the opportunity to extend our core competences.” Visit: www.soudal.com
