16.02.2018

Werner acquires Zarges

Ladder and scaffold company WernerCo has acquired German aluminium scaffold tower manufacturer Zarges from owners Granville Baird Capital along with VR Equitypartner and the management team. The two parties have agreed not to disclose any details of the transaction.

Zarges is based in Weilheim, Germany and employs 800 at three production sites in Europe, selling into various markets including Germany, France, Sweden, the UK, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands. Annual revenues are said to be $132 million. It was owned for many years by aluminium manufacturer VAR, with Hamburg based Granville Baird Capital acquiring it in 2006 for €156 million from private equity fund Taros Capital.

WernerCo is owned by private equity fund Triton IV, and was originally based in in the USA and known simply as Werner Ladder, its global headquarters are now in Schaffhausen, Switzerland with US headquarters in Greenville, Pennsylvania. It has expanded rapidly in recent years and is now the leading European manufacturer of ladders and towers, having acquired Youngman/Boss and Abru in the UK, along with Duarib, Centaure and Haemmerlin in France and Knaak in Germany. It has manufacturing, and distribution facilities in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Hungary, Mexico, Philippines, Vietnam and the UK.

Werner president Edward Gericke said: “Zarges group is a strong market player in continental Europe and will join WernerCo’s portfolio of industry leading brands. Both companies operate in complementary markets with the same understanding on product quality, design and delivery. This transaction is an important milestone to continue our strategic plan to deliver innovative products and systems to our global customers.”

Zarges chief executive Tom Kaiser added: “Zarges has a strong reputation in the European market and is excellent positioned for the coming years. Innovative technologies and strong expertise in high-quality materials make Zarges a leader in major business sectors such as professional access, storage solutions and special construction. This partnership will open new opportunities for both companies.”