Brand K Group, one of the UK’s largest privately-owned suppliers of radiators and bathroom equipment to independent merchants and showrooms, has acquired Carron Bathrooms, the UK’s leading manufacturer of baths and home of the patented Carronite™ bath reinforcement system.
The acquisition is Brand K Group’s ninth UK acquisition and follows its recent openings of both a dedicated shower enclosure production facility at Kartell China Ltd in Qingdao and Just Trays EU S.L., a shower tray production facility based in Almassora, Spain, set to increase the Group’s production capacity and pan-European market share.
The team at Dow Schofield Watts, consisting of Harry Walker and Daniel Chouciño from the Midlands office, provided corporate finance support to Brand K Group. This is the third time the team has advised the Brand K Group.
The business has been acquired from long-term shareholders John Hewitt and David McMorrine, whilst the senior management team, including Managing Director James McMorrine, Operations and Finance Director Jane Miller and Technical Director Gavin White, will remain in place to continue to lead and grow the business, with David McMorrine’s on-going support as a board consultant. Kartell UK, the distribution division of the Brand K Group, will partner with Carron moving forward as a key distribution partner, offering the support of its UK-wide next-day delivery fleet.
Alex Norford, CEO of Brand K Group, said: “Bringing Carron Bathrooms into the Brand K family is another exciting development for our business. This follows the recent opening of our new facilities in China and Spain as part of our ambition to become UK market leaders and grow further our European market share. Carron has an exceptional reputation within the UK industry for the quality of its products, and everyone in the group is looking forward to welcoming the team and partnering with them to grow and develop the company further. As a group, we now offer a one-stop solution across bathrooms and radiators from our stable of British brands”.
David McMorrine, Director of Carron Bathrooms, added: “As custodians of a business steeped in history, allied to industry-leading quality products, John and I feel truly gratified to have found an excellent new home for Carron Bathrooms. We are very optimistic for the future of the business with the support of Alex and the Brand K team and would like to thank everyone at Carron for their dedication and skills, which both make the business what it is and have helped it to reach this stage in its journey. We look forward to its continued success into the future”.
Harry Walker, Partner at DSW, has also advised Brand K on eight previous acquisitions. Harry commented: “Helping bring together a business with the unparalleled heritage and reputation of Carron Bathrooms, with the UK’s fast-growing distribution platform the Brand K Group is a great privilege. We’re also delighted to play a small role in supporting British manufacturing, as well as adding to our growing track record of advice to owners and managers executing transactions in the built environment and KBB markets”.
Alba Trees, a leading UK-wide supplier of cell-grown broadleaf trees, hedging and woodland management solutions and portfolio company of Cibus Capital, has acquired Christies of Fochabers, a well-established bare root tree nursery based in Scotland.
