Wolseley plc continues acquisition spree

Reading-based Wolseley plc, a trade distributor of plumbing and heating products to contractors and suppliers of building materials, has completed five bolt-on acquisitions for an aggregate consideration of £33 million.


Reading-based Wolseley plc, a trade distributor of plumbing and heating products to contractors and suppliers of building materials, has completed five bolt-on acquisitions for an aggregate consideration of £33 million.

Reading-based Wolseley plc, a trade distributor of plumbing and heating products to contractors and suppliers of building materials, has completed five bolt-on acquisitions for an aggregate consideration of £33 million.

The acquisitions, expected to add £45 million to total revenue in the full year, take Wolseley’s bolt-on acquisition total to 15 since August 2007.

Of those five transactions, three were completed by Wolseley North America subsidiaries Stock Building Supply and Ferguson.

On 1 February 2008 Stock Building Supply acquired certain assets of Precision Doors & Hardware involved in sales, the installation, service and repair of commercial and industrial doors. February also saw Ferguson acquire cabinet distributor Mastercraft Cabinets. This followed Ferguson’s December acquisition of CB Group trading as JC Plumbing Supply.

On the home front, Wolseley UK acquired Surrey-based PFC Corofil Firestops, a distributor of passive fire protection products, together with its subsidiaries. The deal completed on 29 February 2008.

And most recently, on 3 March, Wolseley Eastern Europe completed its purchase of Slovakian plumbing, heating and sanitary ware distributor Gama Myjava.

Group chief executive Chip Hornsby comments: “These businesses will broaden our product and geographic coverage and support our strategy of growing the business through acquisition and organic growth.”

Marc Barber

Marc Barber

Marc was editor of GrowthBusiness from 2006 to 2010. He specialised in writing about entrepreneurs, private equity and venture capital, mid-market M&A, small caps and high-growth businesses.

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