CHRISTEYNS

Developments: Following the acquisition of the JohnsonDiversey laundry business across Europe, Christeyns deliberately kept all ex-JD products as before to ensure continuity for the customer. Plans to consolidate the joint ranges are now nearing completion and will be announced this autumn. These will take the best from both companies’ ranges after evaluating the product performance.

In certain instances a better product will replace the previous one, in other cases newly formulated products based on new manufacturing technology will be brought onto the market. The CLAX name will disappear in early 2007, as agreed with JohnsonDiversey, and umbrella brands will be introduced for the various product types. The main lines such as Majestic and Profi will continue to dominate sales but niche products will be offered for all areas as before and importantly the cost-in-use for the customer will not be influenced by any change of product.

Some product developments have already been brought onto the market including Majestic Supabrite with higher brightener levels, Merino for washing wool and delicate fabrics, the Dual Power liquid range and Desotex for washing and disinfecting linen. Others will follow early in 2007 as a result of the consolidation. Production will continue at Christeyns’ three factories in Bradford (UK), Gent (Belgium) and Nantes (France) as well as at some of the JohnsonDiversey factories across Europe as the second phase of the takeover takes effect in Scandinavia, Switzerland, Italy and Iberia.