Manufacturers latest acquisition sparks sales surge
A manufacturer and supplier of copper tubes and pipes has recorded a jump in sales, following its acquisition of Wardtec, based in Redditch.
With more than 105 years of experience, Coventry-based Lawton Tubes serves sectors like healthcare, air conditioning, plumbing, and engineering.
The acquisition, completed in May 2023, integrated Wardtec into Lawton Tubes, resulting in a £5m increase in sales.
Wardtec specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of fittings and assemblies for the water management industry, and says its customers now benefit from the resources and supply security of being part of a larger group.
After the acquisition, it also allowed Lawton Tubes to diversify its product range and establish a presence in emerging markets such as renewables and thermal energy storage.
Giles Lawton, operations managing director at Lawton Tubes, said: “We already had a strong 40-year relationship with Wardtec, so the acquisition made perfect sense from an operational, product and shared values perspective. Eight months on and I’m delighted to say the combined entity has secured an additional £5m of business, an impressive return in what has only been a short period.
“We have added new jobs in Redditch and the combined engineering expertise is helping us deliver production efficiencies as we continue to work with strategic customers in both the UK and overseas.”
Anthony Ward, MD of Wardtec said: “A lot has changed since we started the business in the family garage over 42 years ago and
any deal we did had to build on our current position as the UK’s only copper cylinder fittings manufacturer. That is why the Lawton acquisition was so perfect for us. We share similar sectors, the same commitment to quality, and the same values that only exist in a family-run company.
“The synergy was perfect, and we knew having the additional backing and purchasing power could unlock new opportunities in both our established markets and in new ones that could be brought to the table. That is exactly what has happened in the first eight months with the growth in joint sales across both sides of the business”.
