Gimv investment Brakel strengthens its fire safety division with the acquisition of Belgian company Argina Technics
In mid-December, Gimv announced that alongside the existing management team, it was acquiring a majority interest in the European player Brakel (www.brakel.com). For nearly 40 years, the company has been a market leader in the Benelux region and the UK in the field of high-end solutions and maintenance for glass daylight constructions (glass roofs and skylights), ventilation systems (top-hung windows and flap ventilators) and fire safety systems (fire detection, smoke and heat extraction installations) in commercial and industrial buildings.
Today, the ambition of further international growth has been realised with the acquisition of Argina Technics (www.argina.com), a Belgian designer and producer of fire detection, gas detection and access control systems for the business market. The company also sells camera security and alarm systems. The company, founded in 1980 and based in Sint-Niklaas (Belgium), has succeeded in recent years in achieving a substantial market share in the Benelux. An important factor in this success is the specialised nature of the company, with its own R&D team and a very short and direct line of communication with customers. Some of Argina Technics better-known customers are the Ghelamco-Arena (Ghent), Hotel La Réserve (Knokke), Vaartkom Waterview (Leuven), Parktoren (Antwerp), the European School (Laken), Vlerick Management School (Gent), Tour et Taxis (Brussels), DP World/Antwerp Gateway (Antwerp), the Parc Cinquantenaire Museum (Brussels) and the Palais 12 Expo Event Hall (Brussels).
The acquisition of Argina Technics strengthens Brakel's fire safety division and is a perfect fit with our strategy of not only becoming a one-stop-shop with high-end products/systems, but also becoming more international and expanding in the area of maintenance and services. Argina Technics will now be managed by Koen De Maeght, the current Managing Director of Brakel Aero Belgium.
Brakel and Argina Technics jointly have over EUR 70 million in turnover and around 350 employees.
"Argina Technics is a unique company that is differentiated by its strong corporate culture and quality products that align perfectly with our vision of Light and Air for Safety and Comfort. With Argina Technics we are expanding our footprint in fire safety, especially in the area of fire detection and service and maintenance in the Benelux," says Ton van Gerwen, CEO of Brakel.
Rombout Poos, Principal in the Sustainable Cities platform at Gimv: "With the acquisition of Argina, Brakel is strengthening its position in the Benelux market in the field of fire safety. We enthusiastically support Brakel in its plans for growth."