Acquisitions include three US firms and Cheshire-based paving supplier Lunts Heath

黑洞社区 materials group Wolseley has acquired six businesses for a total of 拢36m.

The acquisitive company announced today that it bought the three north American and three European firms throughout July and August. The acquisitions include:

  • Certain assests of US firm Martin Architectural Products, which last year had a turnover of 拢13.9m;
  • Illinois-based Water Works Supplies, which has a turnover of 拢15.5m
  • US plumbing and heating distributor Palermo, which last year had a turnover of 拢43.6m
  • French distributor Depont Materiaux (turnover 拢0.3m)
  • Belgian pipe specialist Marmon Keystone Anbuma (turnover 拢14.3m)
  • Cheshire-based Lunts Heath Limited (turnover 拢1.7m)
The deals bring Wolseley鈥檚 total acquisition spending for the year ended 31 July 2006 to a record 拢910m. In the current financial year it has already spent 拢26m on acquisitions.

Chip Hornsby, Wolseley group chief executive, said: 鈥淏olt-on acquisitions like these are an important part of our successful growth strategy. These new companies will be integrated into our existing operations and will deliver value to us from the outset.鈥�

Claude 'Chip' Hornsby replaced Charlie Banks as Group Chief Executive at Wolseley on 1 August. Hornsby, 50, spent 27 years with Wolseley's Ferguson business in the USA.