Acquisition season for 2017 has kicked off, with Polyframe reporting on their website that they have merged with Customade Group Limited (Customade). This is the statement that has just been published on Polyframe’s website:

Polyframe Group Limited (Polyframe) the leading manufacturer of trade windows & doors announced today it has successfully acquired and merged with the Customade Group Limited (Customade).

Customade, established in 1980 is the specialist manufacturer of high quality aluminium windows, doors and conservatory roofs, and is best known for its market-leading REAL, Atlas and Fineline aluminium brands. Customade’s product range is truly market-leading and its expertise in aluminium windows, doors and roof lanterns perfectly complements Polyframe’s PVCu windows and composite door products. As a combined group we are able to offer a full suite of best-in-class products, plus the unrivalled levels of reliability, flexibility and customer service.

This merger is the culmination of our strategy to become the UK’s largest trade fabricator of PVCu and aluminium windows and composite entry doors. It extends our presence from Scotland to the South-West, making our service truly national and ever easier for you to access.

Customade is the third acquisition by Polyframe since its management-led buy out in July 2016. Supported by specialist investment firm Cairngorm Capital Partners LLP, the acquisition and merging of the two companies facilitates opportunities for further innovation and growth, by increasing manufacturing capability, strengthening product development and expanding product range.

John Lightowlers, Customade’s Managing Director, will become Group Managing Director of the new combined company. With many years’ experience in the windows and doors sector, John is recognised as being instrumental in Customade’s product innovation and success. He will be supported by Gareth Thomas, who will lead the combined sales function.

More information about the Customade Group acquistion will be published in due course. However, if you require any further information or have any questions, please contact us.

Read the article on the Polyframe website here

DGB Business

PVCu and aluminium combine

Back near the start of the year, Polyframe were one of my companies to watch for 2017, and this was the primary reason why. There appeared to be no appetite to slow down on the acquisition front, and there were whispers for quite a while about another big deal involving the company. Whether this was that deal remains to be seen, as the rumours I have heard were different to this end result.

Still, this is a big deal for both companies. Polyframe gets even more aluminium exposure, and Customade get access to the PVCu part of the market, if they so wish to go down that route.

Both groups in themselves were large in stature and reputation, so make no mistake that this is a very big deal. But it is also a symptom of where the industry is headed. For a while now I have written about the need for fabricators and manufacturers to become ever more diverse in their offerings, as home owner demand continues to change and move towards a mix of PVCu, aluminium and timber in some areas. This merger is a byproduct of that trend in my eyes.

As the statement on their website mentions, more details of the merger will come out as we move forward. How much detail remains to be seen. As with other acquisitions, details like monetary values may remain behind closed doors. There is also no mention of merging of job positions, streamlining of either business and the usual stuff that happens when two big companies merge.

I would like to wish both businesses the very best as they move forward together in this new venture, and if any new information worth publishing appears, you can be sure to find it on here and via DGB Features.

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