KYOCERA Unimerco to Acquire Lithuanian Woodworking Tool Manufacturer, Making it a Wholly Owned Subsidiary
Acquisition aimed at strengthening woodworking tool business in Europe
27 April 2015
Kyoto/Neuss – The Kyocera Group’s (President: Goro Yamaguchi) subsidiary in charge of manufacturing and sales of industrial cutting tools, Kyocera Unimerco A/S (President: Senri Nagashima; herein “KUA”) announced today that it has acquired all shares of Garsdalo Medienos Technologija UAB (President: Ole Garsdal, headquarters: Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania, herein “GMT”), a manufacturer and distributor of woodworking tools. The share transfer agreement was concluded on April 27, making GMT a wholly owned subsidiary of KUA. Through this acquisition, KUA aims to strengthen its woodworking tool business currently centered in Northern Europe, and nearly double its sales in this business segment by FY2020 (April 2019 to March 2020).
Background
In Central and Eastern Europe, the woodworking market for processing building material and furniture is expanding, backed by low-cost and abundant labor, resulting in an increase in demand for processing tools. Based on this growth, KUA had been considering expanding its business into these markets.
In addition to its core business of manufacturing and supplying cutting tools for the automotive industry, KUA also markets custom-made tools in the field of woodworking based on the company’s strong technological capabilities, and has a proven record of offering woodworking tools for processing items such as window frames and kitchen furniture. Meanwhile, GMT, which has steadily expanded its business since foundation in 1998, possesses strengths in processing tools for general furniture utilized by customers including major furniture manufacturers.
Since GMT became a distributor of KUA (then Unimerco A/S) in 1998, the companies have developed a relationship of trust through sales of KUA’s cutting tools in Central and Eastern Europe. By welcoming GMT into its group, KUA aims to create synergies by expanding sales channels in Central and Eastern Europe and strengthening its product lineup.
Motive
1. Expand sales channels in Central and Eastern Europe
Develop new customers and strengthen sales by mutually utilizing KUA’s sales channels in Northern Europe as well as GMT’s sales channels in Central and Eastern Europe.
2. Strengthen product lineup
Include GMT’s tools for general furniture and KUA’s custom-made tools for processing window frames and kitchen furniture in the product lineup, thus reinforcing proposals for customers.
3. Enhance customer support
Shorten delivery times for products and enhance support for customers in Central and Eastern European countries by manufacturing and processing KUA custom-made tools at GMT’s production site
Company Overview
| Company name | Garsdalo Medienos Technologija UAB |
| Established | April 17, 1998 |
| Location | Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania |
| Representative | Mr. Ole Garsdal |
| Operations | Development, manufacture and sales of woodworking tools |
| Employees | 42 (as of March 31, 2015) |
For more information about Kyocera: www.kyocera.eu
Press Material
- Press Release (pdf) (171.88 KB)