08.02.2008

Zarges takes Skyworks

Franco German aluminium access company, Zarges Tubesca has purchased Skyworks, the Rotterdam based access sales and rental company.

Skyworks, owned by Robert Goes, employs around 200 and has revenues in the region of €20 million. The company was at one time the Eiger alloy tower distributor for Holland and latterly built the towers under license using some components from the UK, the company then went on to add trailer and self propelled lifts to its alloy tower rental business and has in recent years co-operated with Doornboss in the rental market.
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Zarges-Tubesca was owned for many years by VAW the German aluminium company and was subject to a Management Buy Out by Taros a private equity firm in 2001. Taros sold its majority holding in the business to Granville Baird and DZ Equity Partner both private equity companies at the end of 2006. The company employs 1,600 and has revenues of around €320 million, the majority of which is generated in France and Germany.

Zarges has 10 subsidiary companies in Europe largely selling the groups products which includes ladders, alloy towers, steps and storage boxes.

Vertikal Comment

Zarges has been on the acquisition trail for the past two to three years, in a bid to expand its geographic coverage and to diversify within the access market. Robert Goes has been talking of selling his business for years but clearly at 63 years old and possibly the top of the market the time was finally right.