PRESS RELEASE
Gothenburg, May 12th, 2015 

 

Swedish family owned group expands

 

Thomas Concrete Group Acquires More Plants in USA

The Swedish Thomas Concrete Group has acquired assets of Coastal Concrete, a US company which operates 10 concrete plants in Georgia and South Carolina. As a result, the Thomas Concrete Group is strengthening its position in the concrete market across a large region on the US east coast between Atlanta and Raleigh.

 

Coastal Concrete is one of the leading producers of ready-mixed concrete in several major cities along the Atlantic coast of Georgia and South Carolina, and the acquisition will reinforce the Group's already strong position in these states.

 

This latest US acquisition increases Thomas Concrete Group’s US sales, which is now expected to grow with more than 350 000 cubic meters of ready-mix concrete per year and adds over 400 million SEK to the Group’s annual turnover. Georgia and South Carolina both have a growing population and expanding economies, with substantial investments in logistics, tourism and recreation which entail increased demand for building materials. The Group now operates a total of 60 plants in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

 

"We have a clear strategy focused on developing our company as the best in the industry,” says Hans Karlander, Thomas Concrete Group’s President and CEO. “We are therefore continuously evaluating opportunities for structural changes and potential acquisitions in the five countries where we operate – Sweden, Norway, Germany, Poland and the USA. We must continue to improve profitability while laying a solid foundation for the future."

 

Thomas Concrete Group, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has successfully acquired and built new concrete plants in Sweden, Germany, Poland and the USA as part of a long-term, strategic growth plan. The Group now has 132 plants in four countries and is the largest independent provider of ready-mixed-concrete in these markets. In Sweden, it also operates two pre-fab plants and owns a quarry in Norway.

 

With this extensive network of plants, the Group has a local presence close to customers and construction sites, reducing transportation distances. As the concrete market is essentially local in character, proximity to its customers gives the Group a key competitive advantage, as well environmental benefits.

 

While internal enhancements within the Group continues, changes have also become apparent externally. Earlier this year, the Group unified all its subsidiaries under the common brand name Thomas. A symbolic step towards transforming a previously loosely organized group to a more integrated company, especially in the fields of technology and development where there will be a greater exchange of knowledge between various expert and specialist functions, as well as more intensified cooperation within marketing activities.

 

"We see a clear upswing in the US market,” adds Karlander. “The acquisition of the assets of Coastal Concrete fits well within the Thomas family as there is no geographical overlap with the plants we already own in Georgia and South Carolina. We now enjoy a strong position in a growing market and will be able to deliver an even better service to our customers. In line with our overall strategy, Coastal Concrete is changing its name to Thomas Concrete so it will have a brand identity in common with the rest of the Group.”

 

For more information please contact:
Hans Karlander,
President and CEO Thomas Concrete Group AB
hans.karlander@thomasconcretegroup.com
Phone: + 4610 450 50 00

Alan Wessel,
President and CEO, Thomas Concrete Inc
alan.wessel@thomasconcrete.com
Phone: +1 770 438 6980

 

High resolution photos can be downloaded at:
http://www.thomasconcretegroup.com/en/newsroom/image-bank

 

 

Thomas Concrete Group AB
Thomas Concrete Group is a Swedish family-owned company that produces and distributes high-quality concrete for cast in place construction. The company was established in 1955 in Karlstad, Sweden, by Martin Thomas and currently operates in the USA, Poland, Germany, Norway and Sweden. Headquarters are in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Group has 1,300 employees and produced 3.2 million m3 of concrete in 2014, with sales of approximately SEK 3.2 billion (~ EUR 350 million).
www.thomasconcretegroup.com

 

Thomas Concrete, Inc
Thomas Concrete produces and distributes high-quality concrete mixes for cast in place construction, both residential and civil engineering. Concrete is produced in 60 plants in Georgia, South- and North Carolina. In addition Thomas Concrete offers wide range of services, technical support as well as concrete transport. Thomas Concrete is part of Swedish, family-owned group Thomas Concrete Group AB with operations in Sweden, Norway, USA, Germany and Poland.
www.thomasconcrete.com