Axel Johnson International enters Baltics fluid-handling market
AxFlow Holding, the Fluid Handling Solutions business group of Axel Johnson International, has entered the market in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania by acquiring Bahr Pump OU (Estonia), Pumptechnique SIA (Latvia) and Flow Technologies UAB (Lithuania). The transaction closed December 20.
The three companies’ businesses are based on high technical knowledge. They provide fluid handling equipment, advanced systems, and service to end-users and contractors. Their main products are pumps, valves, actuators, loading arms, hydrocarbon metering, and related service and repair, mainly for the petrochemical, chemical, food, and power generation segments.
“Although we have built a strong market position in Europe over nearly 30 years, the Baltic market has always been a white spot for us,” says AxFlow Holding’s CEO, Ole Weiner. “Bahr Pump, Pumptechnique and Flow Technologies fit perfectly with our growth strategy which is based on finding great local companies that we can make even better together with the local team.”
AxFlow’s move is also in line with Axel Johnson International’s long-term strategy of acquiring well-established companies with highly skilled entrepreneurs, and growing the businesses together with the entrepreneurs.
“All three companies have strong management teams, highly skilled personnel, strong sales networks, and long, solid experience in their local markets,” Weiner says.
Most of the brands that the companies represent are already represented by AxFlow, which is expected to create supply-chain efficiencies and opportunities for sharing application knowledge.
The companies see clear advantages in being supported by AxFlow’s resources. “We see large potential to grow in our markets by leveraging on AxFlow’s strengths such as common distribution centre, application knowledge sharing and supply-chain efficiencies,” says Uku Liive, founder of Bahr Pump and part-owner of Pumptechnique and Flow Technologies. “There will also be possibilities to add other products to our portfolio in the future.”
AxFlow, the Fluid Handling Solutions business group within Axel Johnson International, specialises in the marketing, distribution and provision of a complete sales engineering services for high quality fluid handling equipment. AxFlow serves customers in the ceramics-, chemical- & petrochemical-, food-, pharmaceutical-, pulp & paper- and water & waste water industries with equipment from world leading manufacturers. High standards of technical competence, a comprehensive range of products and services, commitment and integrity have contributed to the company’s steady growth since its establishment in 1989. The AxFlow Group is active in 27 countries, it has approximately 600 employees and an annual turnover of EUR 180 million.
For further information, please contact:
Hans Glemstedt, Head of Strategy and M&A, Axel Johnson International,
+46 (0)8 453 77 41, hans.glemstedt@axinter.com
Ole Weiner, CEO of AxFlow Holding,
+46 (0)8 545 476 72, ole.weiner@axflow.com
Lars Carlson, CFO of AxFlow Holding,
+46 (0)702 74 05 35, lars.carlson@axflow.com
Viktor Skargren
Project Manager M&A, Strategy & Communication
viktor.skargren@axinter.com
Axel Johnson International is a privately owned Swedish industrial group of more than 90 companies in 25 countries, with combined annual sales of EUR 750 million. We drive business development and growth through a long-term approach to ownership in strategic niche markets, primarily technical components and solutions for industrial processes. Axel Johnson International is organised in four business groups: Fluid Handling Solutions, Industrial Solutions, Lifting Solutions and Transport Solutions.
www.axinter.com