A Hartlepool-based manufacturing plant, the UK Polyfoam XPS business of Knauf Insulation, has been acquired by Ravatherm UK, part of Ravago Group.
The transition of the extruded polystyrene manufacturing plant at Hunter House Industrial Estate completed on 1 January 2017. All employees at the facility have remained following the acquisition, and Ravatherm UK will continue to sell its products under the Polyfoam XPS brand.
The take-over is a result of Ravago Group further strengthening its XPS manufacturing activities across Europe. As a world leader in manufacturing, compounding and distribution of plastics and rubber, the UK acquisition took place simultaneously with the French Polyfoam XPS business of Knauf Insulation.
Managing director of Ravatherm UK, Stuart Bell, from Hartlepool, has worked at the plant for 16 years, and said the transition has been a smooth process.
“The acquisition has had little impact on our employees and customers, and we are looking forward to continuing our working relationship with all of our clients,” said Stuart. “This is a really exciting time for us all here at Hartlepool, as we join a company that has established success in the XPS business - which can only strengthen our offering to the market place.”
Stuart Bell heads up the company with the existing Polyfoam team, which includes Ian Exall National Sales Manager, David Noble, Plant Manager, Gemma Hurst Finance Manager and Karen Everitt, Marketing Manager.
Stuart continued: “Following the change, we’ve refreshed our branding and developed a new website, but the XPS products manufactured at Hartlepool will remain unchanged. We are delighted to be acquired by such a high quality business that fits perfectly with our growth strategy, and we look forward to being part of the Ravago family.”
Ravatherm UK, which sits within the Ravago Building & Construction Solutions (RBCS) division, is one of the historic cornerstones of the Ravago Group and has grown from a local Belgian activity in the sixties to a pan-European division dedicated to developing and distributing specialised building and construction solutions across European, Turkish and CIS markets.
For more information about Ravatherm UK, visit www.ravatherm.com