Published: 10th January 2012
The Epwin Group and Latium have merged with immediate effect [17/1/12] to create a significant and diverse new UK building products group.
Including established Epwin brands, Profile 22, Swish Window and Door Systems, Swish Building Products and Sierra amongst others, alongside Latium companies Spectus, Kestrel-BCE and glass processing business CET – the agreement creates a new group with a combined turnover in excess of £275m.
With more than 2,500 employees, the company, Epwin Holdings, will be led by a new senior board chaired by Epwin Group founder Jim Rawson and including Latium owner, Brian Kennedy, the existing shareholders.
Jim Rawson, chairman, Epwin Holdings, said: “This is a major opportunity for the UK building products industry. In bringing together many of its leading businesses, in a British run, British owned group, we have the resource to invest in individual brands, product innovation and service, grow our business and most importantly, support our customers across sectors in doing the same.
He added: “We don’t expect any significant changes to the operational structure of Group businesses in the medium term – this is very much business as usual for customers, employees and suppliers.”
The Epwin Group was founded by Rawson in 1976. Floated on the Stock Exchange in 1987, it was brought back into private ownership in 2000. More than a decade on, it continues to deliver a lead in technology and sustainable innovation to the UK building product industry.
Latium companies, owned by entrepreneur and investor Brian Kennedy were acquired, in part, from Heywood Williams in 2005.
Funding for the merged group has been provided exclusively by Barclays Corporate, Bristol.
Brian Kennedy, said: “There is a very strong commercial fit between Latium and Epwin businesses and the merger creates tremendous new opportunities for both employees, customers and suppliers.
“It has both the stability and financial resource to see out challenges and to secure new opportunities, something which we are confident will deliver advantages for not just its member businesses but customers and the building products industry more broadly.”
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