 |
 |
||||||
[July 2002]
Wienerberger Integrates Hanson Brick Continental Europe
Wienerberger AG (Vienna, Austria) says it has successfully concluded the integration of Hanson Brick Continental Europe in three months, supported by excellent cooperation from all parties involved. After approval of the acquisition by the European Commission on 18 April 2002, teams from Wienerberger and Hanson BCE merged the two companies in Belgium, Holland, France, Germany and Poland and realised existing synergy potential.This integration has been used to create a uniform market presence in all countries under the 'Wienerberger' brand name and the 'Terca' line for facing bricks. In Belgium, the traditional 'Desimpel' brand will continue as a distinct product line.
The Hanson BCE HQ in Holland has been closed. Moreover, the administration and sales in Belgium, France, Germany and Poland have been taken over by the local Wienerberger country organisations. Within a period of only three weeks, the IT system was converted to SAP and linked to the Wienerberger network.
Of the 23 plants acquired, three will be closed. In Germany, the unprofitable Zentropa facing brick plant in Aachen and the KKW plant in Emmerich have already been shut down. The Lobith plant in Holland will be closed because of excessively high manufacturing costs and low utilisation of capacity. All other brick plants have been integrated into the local country organisations. In order to utilise available capacity, a further increase in exports is planned.
In Poland, Wienerberger has successfully integrated the Jankowa and Torun facing brick plants in the local organisation and has thereby entered the façade systems segment of a major growth market.
These integration measures and plant closures have led to a reduction of 163 in the workforce. Restructuring costs can be offset against the 'badwill' that arose from the favourable purchase paid by Wienerberger and will therefore not, says the company, generate any additional expenses. In total, the integration of Hanson BCE is expected to create synergies and cost savings of roughly 13 million euro per year, beginning in 2003.
ENDS