Valmont Announces Acquisition of a Leading Northern European Manufacturer of Engineered Steel Products
OMAHA, Neb., March 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Valmont Industries, Inc. (NYSE: VMI), a leading global provider of engineered products and services for infrastructure and mechanized irrigation equipment for agriculture, announced today that it has acquired privately-held DS SM A/S, a market leader in Northern Europe for the manufacture of heavy complex steel structures for a diverse range of industries including wind energy, offshore oil and gas, and electricity transmission. The Company, which will be renamed Valmont SM A/S, and will be reported in Valmont's Engineered Infrastructures Products Segment, has annual sales of approximately $190 million and operates two manufacturing locations in Denmark. The enterprise was valued at DKK 800 million (approximately $148 million) and DS SM's operating characteristics are similar to Valmont's other businesses within the Engineered Infrastructure Products Segment. Valmont expects the acquisition to be accretive to 2014 earnings.
DS SM (www.ds-sm.dk) part of DS Gruppen operates in three primary product segments.
- For wind energy, the company manufactures support structures for both the onshore and rapidly growing offshore wind market segments, as well as rotor housings for direct drive turbines.
- For the oil and gas industry, the company manufactures specialty equipment for offshore drilling rig stability. For offshore production platforms they also manufacture lifting and handling equipment such as cranes and winches.
- For the utility industry, DS SM manufactures engineered transmission support structures.
"DS SM is a premier engineered structures firm focused on energy infrastructure," said Vik Bansal, Group President of Valmont's Global Engineered Infrastructure Products Segment. "Support structures for the onshore/offshore wind and utility industries fit well with Valmont's existing competencies. This acquisition enables Valmont to participate in growing markets for wind energy, oil and gas exploration, power transmission and other related infrastructure projects, while giving us an attractive platform to expand our engineered infrastructure product lines across a broader geographic footprint."
"My management team and I are very pleased to be joining Valmont. We will maintain our 10% ownership interest in DS SM and we believe that Valmont provides the best strategic fit for DS SM and enables the next growth phase for our company," added Claus Bo Jorgensen, CEO of DS SM.
Valmont is a global leader in designing and manufacturing poles, towers and structures for lighting and traffic, wireless communication and utility markets, industrial access systems, highway safety barriers and a provider of protective coating services. Valmont also leads the world in mechanized irrigation equipment for agriculture, enhancing food production while conserving and protecting natural water resources. In addition, Valmont produces a wide variety of tubing for commercial and industrial applications.
This release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current views and estimates and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Future economic and market circumstances, industry conditions, Company performance and financial results, operating efficiencies, availability and price of raw materials, availability and market acceptance of new products, product pricing, domestic and international competitive environment, actions and policy changes of domestic and international governments and other risks described from time to time in Valmont's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission are examples of factors, among others, that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statement. The Company cautions that any forward-looking statement included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement.
SOURCE Valmont Industries, Inc.
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