LOBA JOINS THE ARDEX GROUP
Ditzingen, Germany — Adhesives manufacturer Wakol is increasing its share in Loba, a global manufacturer of surface treatments, and now holds a majority stake in the company. Wakol has been majority-owned by Ardex since 2015, and this transaction will make Loba part of the international Ardex Group.
To facilitate the transaction, four long-standing Loba shareholders have put their shares up for sale. The overriding goal of this decision is to safeguard the company’s long-term success. Therefore, the new shareholder structure consists of Wakol and Michael Fischer, who will remain as managing partner.
“By linking Loba with Wakol, we have managed to provide our company with an extremely sustainable perspective and pave the way for my succession early on,” said Michael Fischer, managing partner. “The international operations of the Ardex Group offer excellent opportunities to continue growing and to lead Loba into a successful future”.
Christian Groß, Wakol shareholder and CEO, sees the strengthening and expansion of the existing cooperation as a common goal: “Loba and Wakol have been working together excellently for over 20 years and we are now able to reinforce this even further. I am convinced that the Ardex Group offers great opportunities for both companies, whilst at the same time preserving the values and culture of a family business.”
From left to right: Mark Eslamlooy (CEO ARDEX Group), Michael Fischer (Managing Director, Shareholder LOBA) and Christian Groß (Managing Director, CEO Wakol)
Loba’s Ditzingen headquarters will be expanded as a development and production center for surface finishing within the Ardex Group. The treatment and finishing of wood and cork currently play a key role for Loba. Additionally, the company is expanding its activities in finishing resilient floor coverings as well as cementitious surfaces.
The company name, brand, and sales structure will remain unchanged, as well as the contacts for customers and suppliers. In both companies, the organization and personnel will remain the same. Following a mandatory review by the antitrust authorities, the transaction is expected to be completed at the latest by the end of November 2018.
Mark Eslamlooy, CEO of the Ardex Group, said the cooperation with Loba provides the company with an opportunity to expand its competence in the field of flooring systems and surface finishes: “The Loba brand enjoys a distinguished reputation and stands for technical competence, premium products and outstanding service. The strong international orientation and the extremely high level of commitment of the people involved have convinced us that Loba is the ideal partner for us.”
For more information, visit www.loba-wakol.com.
About Wakol
Wakol GmbH develops, produces and very successfully sells laying materials, industrial adhesives and sealing compounds. It has stood for premium quality and customer accessibility for over 80 years. The ARDEX Group has been the majority shareholder of this family-owned company since 2015. Over 185 people are employed at the headquarters in Pirmasens; worldwide, the Wakol Group employs around 230 people. Besides Germany, Austria, Switzerland, North America and the Netherlands are amongst the most important sales markets. There are further intensive activities in Poland, Italy and Great Britain, to name a few. Wakol is also actively involved in global exports.
About LOBA
Founded in 1922, the finishing and care of parquet and hardwood floors have been the core business of the company based in Ditzingen near Stuttgart for almost 100 years. LOBA also owns subsidiaries in Brazil and China, as well as joint ventures with Wakol in Poland and North America. The LOBA Group currently employs around 120 people, 97 of whom work at the Ditzingen site. Technical excellence, top-quality products and the extremely well-focused customer orientation are the key factors for the success of the LOBA brand in over 60 countries.
Laying of the Foundation Stone of the new ARDEX Campus
ARDEX Managing Directors Lay the Foundation
With the laying of the foundation stone for the new logistics center, ARDEX officially launched the large-scale infrastructure project “ARDEX-Campus” on Monday. The construction chemicals specialist is continuing its innovation offensive at the Witten location – thereby signaling the entire Ruhr area. “The construction works are a prerequisite for us to continue to grow and create additional jobs,” said Mark Eslamlooy, CEO of the ARDEX Group.
The first step has been taken: On the former STAMA site next to the existing ARDEX logistics, construction began in March – after Ardex has taken all legal and political hurdles for the construction project around the founding mansion. An effective logistics center with fully automated high-bay warehouse and modernized shipping will be built on the approximately 20,000 square meter site. This is accompanied by the optimization of arrival and departure routes. This means less traffic on the Friedrich-Ebert-Straße and ultimately less emissions and noise. “It was important to us that the residents were relieved of the burden over the long term, and we wanted to keep the burden of the construction measures as low as possible,” says Mark Eslamlooy.
Maintain Competitiveness
Especially the construction of new logistics is an important step for the international family business to continue the growth path in the future. “We have already invested heavily in the site over the past few years, for example with the new training center and research and development center, but with increasing international growth, increased variety of items and the digitization of many business processes, our performance requirements have continued to grow We take development into account with the entire infrastructure project and prepare ourselves for the future, “says Mark Eslamlooy.
Overall concept ARDEX campus
The new logistics building is part of the infrastructure project “ARDEX-Campus”. The focal point will be the new, 24-storey administration tower, which replaces the former administration building from the 1960s. It should be ready for occupation in 2022 and have an area of 10,000 square meters – and thus provide space for up to 100 new jobs. In addition, the production is extensively modernized, in line with the “factory of the future”.
When planning the Ardex campus, the family-owned company attached great importance to an overall concept for the factory premises and an improvement in working conditions in all areas. These include the modernization of the entire Ardex site at Friedrich-Ebert-Straße and the integration of the existing buildings into the new campus. All buildings – including logistics and production – are harmoniously coordinated.
In order to report transparently and up-to-date on the construction progress of the ARDEX campus, a special website, www.ardex-campus.de, has been set up. All interested parties will find exciting details about the overall concept as well as pictures and reports here.
Strengthen Witten Location
With the ARDEX Campus, the role of the Witten location as a “heart” of the international ARDEX Group will be further expanded. “Many areas work internationally from here and are responsible for the branches in Germany and abroad, including production, research and development, controlling, strategy and IT,” says Mark Eslamlooy.
Press inquiries to:
Ardex GmbH
Katrin Hinkelmann, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 45, 58453 Witten
Tel. 0152-02840176, 02302 664-598, Katrin.Hinkelmann@ardex.de
5 MILLION OLD TYRES RECYCLED INTO ARDEX TILE ADHESIVES
Australia generates millions of used car tyres every year, some of which are recycled and others that are stockpiled.
Tyre dumps and stockpiles present many environmental concerns;
- They are unsightly
- Take up valuable land space
- Cause problems for landfill sites
- When stockpiled above ground they are at high risk of catching fire which then causes pollutants and toxic gases to be released, oil enters the groundwater and nearby rivers
- Breeding grounds for pests such as mosquitoes and rodents
Further to this, sand mining is a practice that is fast becoming an ecological problem as the demand for sand is increasing. Sand is mined from beaches, inland dunes and dredged from ocean and river beds, leading to erosion and impacting local wildlife.
The ideal solution is to recycle and reuse the components that make up tyres and at the same time, reduce the need for sand mining.
By doing so, ARDEX has not only recycled over 5 million tyres in its history in Australia, this currently equates to the recycling of over 250,000 used tyres per year, which also saves approximately 3500 tonnes of Australia’s sand per year.
The ARDEX Natural Stone Range
Eliminating the Risks of Water Staining, Curling and Warping in Natural Stone Installations
Natural and agglomerated stones such as granite, marble and limestone are naturally durable materials that can last a lifetime. However, like any product, problems may occur if they are not installed properly.
The main issue associated with natural stone is determining whether the stone is moisture sensitive or not and, following that, using the correct products to fix it. In most instances natural stone tiles will not have a sensitivity to moisture, and non-specialist products can be used with confidence; however, using such products to fix moisture sensitive stone can lead to permanent defects in the finished result.
Typically occurring during the bedding and grouting process, moisture from traditional adhesives and grouts can migrate into the stone and cause discolouration, staining and even warping.
For tile fixers using moisture sensitive natural stone or agglomerated stone, or for those who are unsure, ARDEX has developed a system of products specifically designed to eliminate these problems, helping to ensure a risk free installation every time.
ARDEX natural stone products incorporate our unique ‘RAPIDRY FORMULA’ technology and ‘lock’ the mix water within the mortar, virtually eliminating the risk of water staining, curling and warping.
ARDEX S 16
Rapid Drying Natural Stone Wall & Floor Tile Adhesive
- Tiles can be trafficked and grouted 2-3 hours after fixing
- Ideal for all tile types including moisture sensitive natural stone
- Suitable for wall and floor applications
ARDEX MG
Marble and Natural Stone Tile Grout
- Walkable after 90 minutes
- For tile joints up to 8mm
- Available in 5 colours
ARDEX ST
Elastic Silicone Sealant
- Excellent resistance to weather, UV-radiation and commonly used cleaning chemicals and disinfectants
- Contains fungicide to combat mould growth
- Available in 13 colours and Transparent