West Flemish Bekaert Textiles has acquired its (equally West Flemish) competitor, DesleeClama. The two textile companies are the self-proclaimed worldwide leader when it comes to the manufacturing and sale of mattress fabrics.
Merger of equals
The merger company will have its main office in Waregem, currently already the home of Bekaert Textiles. The official statement is that Bekaert Textiles will acquire DesleeClama, but in actuality it is a merger of equals.
Once the merger is complete, the company will be called BekaertDeslee Textiles and have 19 production facilities worldwide and about 2,600 employees. The two companies’ 2014 joint turnover reached more than €300 million.
For Bekaert Textiles, it is the second major change in less than a year after German Franz Haniel & Cie‘s arrival as its major shareholder last year.
“The Bekaert Textiles – DesleeClama deal fits their growth strategies and answers a few important market opportunities, namely the increased awareness surrounding the importance of sleep and the increased growth in the worldwide mattress market”, a press release states.
