Villeroy & Boch sells 51% of V & B Fliesen GmbH to Eczacibasi Gruppe

Apr 12, 2007

12/04/07 - Since March 26th it’s official. The negotiations with the Eczacibasi Group, which begun in December 2006, have been concluded. The Turkish Group will acquire 51% of V & B Fliesen GmbH. Villeroy & Boch will maintain a 49% share of V & B Fliesen GmbH, and the property and buildings at the two factories will remain in the possession of Villeroy & Boch AG (in Merzig, Germany and La Ferté Gaucher, France). In addition the almost 1,000 jobs at V & B Fliesen GmbH are to be maintained.

V & B Fliesen GmbH achieved sales of Euro 149 million in 2006 with more than 10 million m2 of wall and floor tiles. A licensing agreement ensures the future existence of the "House of Villeroy & Boch" integral product range.

The company's head office and administration of V & B Fliesen GmbH will remain in Merzig. Peter von der Lippe, who is currently director of tile activities, will also continue as director of V & B Fliesen GmbH into the future.

Eczacibasi is a highly-competitive industrial group in the ceramic sector.
It is active in the fields of raw materials and the production of tiles and earthenware, with plants, as well as in Turkey, also in Ireland, Russia and is already present in Germany, with Vitra Bad and, in the tile sector, with the controlled Engers, acquired little more than a year ago. The group achieves overall sales of US$ 2.8 billion.
The new association formed by the Eczacibasi tile division and V & B Fliesen GmbH will have a total tile output of 35 million m². This will clearly improve competitiveness in global markets.

Initiated in 1998, the restructuring of Villeroy & Boch AG led to a strengthening and modernisation of the two divisions Bathroom & Wellness and Tableware, the two most historic products and the ‘core business’ of the Mettlach group.
The company will continue to promote the development and globalisation of these two profitable sectors to ensure continuation of the positive growth trend.