KME Yorkshire sells copper manufacturing business in £18m deal

A COPPER tubes manufacturing business with 175 staff and annual revenues of £119m has been sold for £18m.

Based in Kirkby, Merseyside since 1955 the plumbing tubes business was previously owned by Italian industrial group Intek through its KME Yorkshire subsidiary.

The new owner is another international business, Mueller Industries Inc – of Memphis, Tennessee, and is subject to the approval of UK competition authorities.

Mueller Industries’ European arm is based at Bilston in the West Midlands and includes Wednesbury Copper Tube.

Law firm Pinsent Masons has advised KME Yorkshire on the deal. The Pinsents team was led by corporate partner Andrew Kerr, assisted by senior associates Michael Walby and Alan Chan and solicitor Tom Ralph.

Mr Kerr commented: “We were pleased to work with KME Yorkshire on the sale of the plumbing tubes business, which once completed will enable it to focus its resources on products with higher added value and in growing markets.”