Posted March 3, 2015

 

ALBSTADT, Germany and KORTRIJK, Belgium – Groz-Beckert has signed an agreement to acquire Bekaert’s Carding Solutions activities.

 

The division has around 350 employees. The acquisition will allow Groz-Beckert to expand its existing service program for card clothing with a corresponding product portfolio.

 

The transaction covers the carding production facilities in Belgium, India, China and the U.S. and the global sales and services network.

 

In the last fiscal year Bekaert’s Carding Solutions activities generated €26 million annual revenues. Groz-Beckert and Bekaert anticipate a deal closing in the course of the second quarter of 2015.

 

Bekaert’s Carding Solutions activities will be added to Groz-Beckert’s nonwovens activities. The acquisition will enable Groz-Beckert its first access to the spinning industry. It will also offer all card clothing items from one source: From consulting, product recommendation and the entire product range through mounting service and special roll repair to start-up service.

 

Bekaert’s portfolio for the carding industry includes card wires and clothing for short staple, nonwoven, woolen and worsted applications. Bekaert carding solutions serve textile machine manufacturers and textile companies worldwide with advanced products and service programs.

 

In the U.S., Bekaert Carding Solutions is located in Simpsonville, S.C.

 

Groz-Beckert is a leading provider of industrial machine needles, precision parts and fine tools as well as systems and services for the production and joining of textile fabrics. The products and services support the fields of knitting, weaving, felting, tufting and sewing. The family-owned company, founded in 1852, employed nearly 7,700 people.