Biella acquires Falken – Important step in Biella’s expansion strategy

The Biella-Neher Holding Ltd. – through its German subsidiary, Biella Deutschland GmbH – today has acquired 100% of the shares of Falken Office Products GmbH, Peitz (Germany), the Delmet Prod srl, Buftea (Romania), and Herlitz UK Ltd., Hyde (Great Britain), from the Herlitz PBS AG, Berlin – with economical effect as of January 1^st 2012. The three companies acquired have produced and distributed – employing about 335 persons – more than 90 million units of lever arch files and a wide range of cardboard filing articles in 2011.

Turnover of Biella Group in 2011 was CHF 140.4 million. Biella has in recent years consistently followed its strategy of expansion in the European markets. Important steps so far were amongst others the expansion of soft-plastics production in the Hungarian Kimle and installing an additional modern production line for lever arch files in the factory Szydlowiec in Poland. On sales side Biella has – in addition to the existing businesses in Switzerland, Austria and Poland – put focus on servicing the Central European markets as well as international key accounts. This acquisition emphasizes again the strategy of expansion and enables Biella Group to act as a competent and complete partner in supplying office products throughout Europe.

In addition this deal includes a long-term partnership in supplying products produced in these sites to the Herlitz PBS AG for the Herlitz branded products business.