The Carel Group has continued its international expansion strategy through acquisitions by fully acquiring Alfaco Polska, based in Wroclaw, Poland.
Alfaco Polska has been the company’s Polish distributor for over 20 years, and posted sales of around 11 million EUR in 2016, an increase of approximately 18 percent from 2015, with 10 million from the domestic market and the rest from the Ukraine and the Baltic area.
Poland is a dynamic country with very strong growth compared to the EU 28 average, holding a strategic geographical position in the eastern European market. Moreover, the country has a strong industrial base and high growth potential in terms of infrastructure.
Carel Group’s investment is aimed at consolidating the growth it has recorded in recent years in the Polish, Ukrainian and Baltic markets, where double-digit growth in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sectors is expected over the next few years. True to its mission, Carel will continue to invest in high-efficiency solutions that use natural refrigerants, providing more specialist local support to the HVAC OEMs in Poland that are increasingly active in European and international markets.
Francesco Nalini, Carel Group managing director, commented: “Alfaco is a very important, long-term partner for us in Poland.” He continued: “With this acquisition we are continuing our strategy to establish a direct presence in all major international markets, meaning we can can be close to our customers and support them in terms of technology, logistics and service.”
Currently, the Carel Polish office employs 38 local personnel. The company’s board members will be Jarek Baranczenko as chief executive; Luigi Rossi Luciani as Carel Group president; and Mirco Cauz as managing director for Carel Central and Southern Europe.
Mr Baranczenko explained: “Over the last 25 years, Alfaco Polska has built a very solid position on the Polish market. Our organisational structure, with six different locations across Poland, allows us to reach a large number of customers, providing technical support and logistical efficiency. This acquisition by the Carel Group will help us to better serve the needs of domestic and foreign markets. Innovation, responsibility and quality are the cornerstones that define us in this industry and strengthen our position in the market.”
The Carel Group ended 2016 with consolidated sales of 231 million EUR, an increase of 13.5 percent from 2015. European markets saw an overall average growth of 19 percent.