fromtheeditor
ALL CHANGE
There has been some significant activity
and movement in the industry this past
month beginning with Eurocell finally ending
speculation with the announcement of new
owner, investment company H2 Equity
Partners. You can read the full story below.
Multisystems fabricator, Formes Alutek,
has also acquired a new owner in the form
of one of the North West’s largest window
companies, LDG Group Ltd, helping to
safeguard jobs on page 5.
And at the time of going to print we had
word from Ultraframe that it will close its
Newton Abbot manufacturing facility at the
end of this year. All of the production from
the Devon-based plant, which exclusively
produces the Quantal roof systems, will move
to Ultraframe’s main production plant based
in Clitheroe, which produces both Ultraframe
and Wendland roof systems.
Julian Slade, Ultraframe CEO explained that:
“any decision directly affecting staff is difficult
and we have given serious consideration to a
range of options. However, we can best serve
the Quantal brand and Quantal customers
from Clitheroe. We want to send a clear
message to our customers that this decision will
positively impact both the Quantal roof and the
overall offer available to them.”
This month we also welcome a newcomer to
the UK composite door market on page 42.
Uniform Architectural is the UK subsidiary
of Italian and European composite window
specialist, Uniform and will be based in
Bristol.
TURNING A CORNER
In his recent keynote speech, the Chancellor
George Osborne declared that the economy
is in the early stages of recovery, page 20. This
is evidenced in reports from the NHBC that
reports housebuilding levels are continuing to
show improvement, with the knock on effect
being the construction sector leading job
market growth on page 15.
Perhaps surprisingly then is the report from
Trustmark on page 25, that homeowners are
losing confidence in British tradespeople.
Sadly this negative perception is as a result
of the rogue traders portrayed in the media.
However the majority of those surveyed did
report having had only good experiences.
Finally, congratulations to National Plastics
celebrating 25 years in business as well as its
highest sales to date this year.
Becky Taylor,
Editor.
CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP
Eurocell ended months of speculation by announcing its new owner
as the £2.5billion investment company, H2 Equity Partners.
The deal follows a lengthy process
with several interested parties
involved before H2 Equity
Partners emerged as the preferred
suitor over the past few weeks.
Eurocell’s previous owner,
the Brussels-based Tessenderlo
Group, has embarked on a series
of divestments and rationalisation
programmes in recent years
following a change in strategic
direction. Eurocell has grown every
year under Tessenderlo’s tenure
and remains a profitable business,
with a turnover of £150million
and employing around 950 people
throughout the UK.
The derbyshire-based PVC-U
extruder has a network of 125-plus
branches nationwide and stands
to gain from H2 Equity Partners’
expertise in distribution businesses.
H2’s portfolio of companies
includes several European
manufacturing and distribution
businesses, plus the Unipart car
parts brand in the UK. Eurocell
already has trading relationships
with H2 group companies.
Patrick Bateman, CEO of
Eurocell, declared, “I’m delighted
that we will be working with H2
Equity Partners to continue our
business growth. I believe there are
some excellent synergies between us
in terms of our ambitions, beliefs
and approach to business.”
Eurocell will remain as an
autonomous business and will
implement the existing five-year
business plan, which includes
investing in more service
improvements, developing more
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