Ruskin Air Management Ltd (RAML) has
been rebranded Swegon Air Management Ltd (SAML) following its
acquisition by the 60-year-old Swedish air handling, cooling and
ventilation specialist Swegon AB from Johnson Controls International
(JCI).
The former Ruskin brands – Actionair;
Air Diffusion; Naco; and Airolution – will now be operating
alongside Swegon’s existing UK businesses creating a combined
operation turning over more than £43 million with a workforce of
330.
SAML will continue as a sales agent for
the other two UK-based brands Envirco and Trion, which remain under
the ownership of JCI, but it is simultaneously launching a new
venture in the air filtration marketplace called Airfiltrera.
Swegon AB is owned by the engineering
investment group Latour and is one of Europe’s largest energy
efficient ventilation and climate systems manufacturers – best
known for its acclaimed Gold air handling units. Its existing 12
production plants in Sweden, Finland, Belgium, Italy, India, North
America and Germany have now been augmented by the addition of SAML’s
two plants in Whitstable, Kent and Bridgnorth, Shropshire.
The Swegon Group employs 1,900 staff
and its turnover is over EURO 400m . It has an extensive product
portfolio covering air handling units; waterborne climate systems;
air diffusers; chillers; heat pumps; data centre cooling; and highly
advanced demand controlled ventilation. It also provides acoustic
sound attenuation systems.
Partnership
All former RAML personnel will be
retained including Kevin Munson, who will continue as managing
director of the new Swegon Air Management operation, working in
partnership with Alistair Compton, who is managing director of Swegon
UK, which operates out of four offices headquartered in Hampshire.
Mr Munson added that, far from reducing
headcount, the new parent company was encouraging him to seek new
recruits to help drive expansion plans. Swegon said it would now be
embarking on a long term major drive to promote the former Ruskin
brands across Europe.
“The standard phrase at times like
this is: ‘Business as usual’,” said Mr Munson. “However, we
can go further than that. We are joining a group that fully
understands our sector; sees the importance of locally-based
manufacturing; and regards this as a marriage of equals.
“We are not losing people and we are
not being integrated into anything. Swegon has a reputation for
acquiring successful businesses and working to make them more
successful by not making wholesale changes,” said Mr Munson. “We
will be working alongside Swegon UK to expand and improve both
businesses using our complementary skills and product ranges.”
Swegon Group CEO Hannu Saastamoinen
confirmed that the acquisition of the former Ruskin brands was a
significant boost to the group, particularly as it offered additional
expertise in the area of smoke and fire control.
“This acquisition gives us a very
strong local presence and identity in UK through the well-known RAML
brands and whose products are complementary for us. We see good
potential for cross sales in the future,” he said
“As a long-term industrial investor,
our aim is to reinforce and further develop the local manufacturing
base’s in both Whitstable and Bridgnorth, which are excellent in
producing customised products for the local and worldwide market’s
with short delivery times,” said Mr Saastamoinen.
Swegon’s global operations are
organised into five business areas: commercial ventilation, light
commercial, home solutions, cooling; and North America. Swegon UK
provides ventilation systems, cooling and air-conditioning solutions;
temperature control for industrial machinery and processes, internal
comfort conditions for workplaces; close control cooling systems for
IT servers and other heat sensitive equipment and cold stores for the
food and beverage industry and related services.
The expanded group will now seek to
exploit SAML’s established routes to market and particular success
with specifiers to leverage new opportunities for the whole Swegon
range. Similarly, the group said it would be looking for avenues
across Europe where it can introduce the UK-manufactured smoke and
fire control products to its existing and potential markets.
Safety
Life safety legislation is driving
rapid market growth in fire and smoke dampers across Europe and
Swegon will look to build on Actionair’s market leading position in
that area along with its expanding success in specialised damper
applications; such as the marine market.
Natural ventilation is another evolving
sector and the Swegon operation will look closely at RAML’s
innovative Airolution system with a view to adapting that to a wider
range of markets.
“Swegon recognises that if you want
to be strong in a particular market; then you have substantial
presence there – close to your customers,” said Mr Munson. “It
believes in creating ‘strongholds’ from where it can expand its
business and, with the acquisition of RAML, the UK becomes its third
biggest market after Scandinavia and Germany.
“The most refreshing thing about the
Swegon approach is that they believe in local responsibility,” said
Mr Munson. “We will agree an overall plan, but then it will be down
to us to get on and deliver it. We are trusted to stand on our own
two feet and achieve our goals.”
He said the focus and business strategy
would prioritise the individual brands with the sales forces
continuing to provide expertise and specific technical support in
their specialist areas. “However, we will look to manage our
market information in a coherent way to ensure we are sharing data
right across the group to mutual benefit,” said Mr Munson.
“We are now in the fortunate position
of being able to genuinely focus on providing the most appropriate
solution for any project,” he added. “We are not restricted to
any particular technology and can use our expertise in each market to
make sure customers get the right outcome.”
Actionair has been producing fire,
smoke and air control products, including a full range of dampers and
fan coil units, from its factory in Whitstable for over 40 years.
Air Diffusion began manufacturing grilles and diffusers in Bridgnorth
in 1972 and is now recognised as one of the UK's leading
manufacturers of air distribution products.
Naco - based at Bridgnorth – produces
glass louvres, standard metal louvres, natural air ventilators and
sunscreens / brise soleil. It has been manufacturing since the early
60s offering a full design, draw, supply and install service.
The Airolution natural ventilation
system was launched two years ago and is gaining traction in the
market and is expected to benefit from further investment under the
new ownership.
Major investment plans that were
already underway under the previous owners will be honoured, Swegon
confirmed, including the new in-house paint finish plant at
Bridgnorth for the company’s grilles and diffusers. The Whitstable
factory is already benefitting from new computerised precision
cutting equipment to speed up production and improve quality.
“At a time when indoor air quality
has never had a higher profile, it is hugely exciting for us to be
joining a truly international company that specialises in this area
and has a particular focus on safeguarding the health and
productivity of building occupants,” said Mr Munson.
“We now have access to a huge body of
knowledge based on Swegon’s 60 plus years of development expertise,
but similarly, they now have access to more than 40 years of
experience in the field of fire and smoke control – it promises to
be an excellent partnership.”
www.swegonair.co.uk
sales@swegonair.co.uk
