acquisition J:son Härd in Sweden

Aalberts network widens to include Scandinavia

Aalberts Industries N.V., with activities in the field of Industrial Services and Flow Control, has further expanded its European network of service centres for heat and surface treatments following the acquisition of J:son Härd AB in Sweden.

J:son specialises in the treatment of large series for the automotive and other industries. With a turnover of over EUR 3 million, J:son is a leading player on the Swedish market, where it has offices in the industry-rich south of the country.

Aalberts Industries has also acquired a minority stake in Hærderiet A/S, a new Danish heat treatment company that has been operating on the market since last year, and it has an option to convert this stake into a majority interest. This has given Aalberts Industries a foothold in the relatively small, yet attractive Danish market. Hærderiet specialises in vacuum heat treatment techniques and also operates a unique technology for the heat treatment of stainless steel.

Both companies will form part of Aalberts Industries’ European network of service centres, bringing the total number to 50. The group’s expansion into Scandinavia will widen its access to one of Europe’s key industrial regions, as well as broadening its geographical spread. The move gives Aalberts Industries a base for the further expansion of its heat and surface treatments in Scandinavia.

In early April, Aalberts Industries also acquired the Belgium-based company S.im-V.ex N.V., a sales organisation specialising in Flow Control. S.im-V.ex has been a partner of Aalberts Industries Group for many years. The takeover ties in with the group’s strategy to consolidate its sales activities and retain them under its own management in all the main European markets. This will enable it to respond more immediately and comprehensively to the developments that occur on the various markets. S.im-V.ex will form part of VSH Group under the name VSH Flow Control N.V.

The group will be financing all these transactions from its own resources.