Fibre Cement Manufacturer Acquired by Eternit Brand Owners

GLOBAL BUILDING envelope manufacturers and distributors, Swisspearl Group, owner of the Eternit brand, is acquiring Denmark’s Cembrit from the Swedish investment company Solix.

The acquisition has been made retroactively, backdated to 1 January, 2022. The privately held companies involved in the acquisition have not disclosed the purchase price.

The Swisspearl Group, based in Switzerland, is wholly owned by the Swiss entrepreneurial family, Bernhard Alpstaeg, headed by daughter Giulia Alpstaeg, and now employs around 2,600 people.

Headquartered in Niederurnen, Swisspearl Group is expanding its international market presence and production sites with the acquisition of Denmark’s Cembrit, based in Aalborg.

Fibre Cement Manufacturer Acquired

In the largest deal in the European fibre cement industry in recent years, the acquisition of 1,400 Cembrit employees will create a 2,600-strong workforce at Swisspearl Group.

Swisspearl has subsidiaries and production sites in Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. Cembrit predominantly serves the Nordic countries as well as Ireland and the UK. It also has subsidiaries in around 20 countries.

The company’s geographical spread means there is little overlap in both companies’ markets, and the acquisition will help Swisspearl Group strengthen its presence in Europe with the Cembrit core markets, Swisspearl says. The company says, post-acquisition it is looking for improvements in better utilization of production capacities and consistently pursued sustainability goals.

As owners of the Swisspearl Group, the Alpstaeg family holds a majority stake in swisspor, producer and distributor of insulation materials, building envelopes and systems in Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Austria, Romania, as well as other companies in Switzerland.

Ready for Further Growth

Swisspearl Group CEO Harry Bosshardt said: “One of the great advantages of Swisspearl Group was and is that it continues to allow international subsidiaries to play to their strengths with self-confidence and self-determination. We will not change this, the headquarters will remain in Niederurnen.

“With Cembrit, we are gaining growth that will give us wings. It perfectly complements Swisspearl Group’s existing market presence. After this acquisition, we are ready for further growth – including in geographical areas where our presence so far has been limited.”

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