Christeyans, the Belgian laundry detergent manufacturer, has announced the completion of the purchase of Oils and Soaps Limited, from the Wilton Investment Group.
Christeyens has in the last three years, following the acquisition of OSMAC UK and Professional Detergents Systems, pursued a route of active investment, which has established the company in seven European countries. The manufacturer is now the third largest supplier of industrial laundry detergents in western Europe.
Reported to have seen Oils and Soaps as a very profitable addition to its growing operations, Charlie Betteridge, European marketing director, commented: “The acquisition will no doubt be a shock to the industry. Oils and Soaps was close to becoming the market leader in the UK and the merged business will have a very strong customer profile. Christeyans are strong in some groups and Oil and Soaps are strong in others.” Christeyans has followed a policy of acquisition since realising the limitations for expansion in the domestic Belgium market. Mr Betteridge told LCN: “The purchase of Oils and Soaps was in harmony with our policy of geographical and commercial expansion. Oils and Soaps was the obvious place to look in terms of expansion in the UK, providing us with a manufacturing base which we did not previously have.” It is reported that currently the two companies are still operating as two separate businesses, with discussions continuing on the logistics of the structuring of the newly merged company, with a new name and corporate identity expected to be announced later in the year.
