SWARCO expands in the road marking systems business in the UK
Austrian traffic technology group SWARCO acquires HITEX Group
On 25 October 2021, SWARCO AG closed a transaction to acquire 100% of the shares of the family-owned business HITEX Holdings Ltd.
The HITEX Group, whose origins date back to 1972 when road marking contractor L&R Roadlines Ltd. was founded, is based in Ellesmere Port at the banks of River Mersey south of Liverpool. The companies of the group work in the field of road safety, being a producer of road marking materials and decorative surfacing products (HITEX Traffic Safety), a contractor for road marking services (L&R Roadlines), and a manufacturer of road marking vehicles and machinery (Somerford Equipment).
SWARCO Speaker of the Board and COO Michael Schuch: “With the HITEX acquisition, we follow our course of seeking market opportunities with companies that are a good fit for us by having strong know-how in their field, a good market penetration, a high reputation, and the background of a family ownership with a corporate culture similar to ours. The HITEX companies will give us direct access to the road marking systems sector in the UK, helping us to gain a significant market share by introducing our five-decade long expertise in road safety materials.”
HITEX was owned by four members of the Lloyd family who were looking for an appropriate successor to continue the successful course of the road safety provider. “We are happy to have found with SWARCO a family-owned business with a strong know-how in the production of glass beads, road marking materials and the application of line markings”, says Geoff Lloyd. “My family and I are convinced that SWARCO will be a good new home for HITEX and its staff, offering growth potential and continuity for our life's work.”
Harald Mosböck, SWARCO’s Vice President for Road Marking Systems in Europe and the APMEA regions, sees great potential in developing road safety with high performance road markings in Europe’s second largest economy. “The HITEX Group is very well established in the UK road safety sector and will open the market for SWARCO’s top products such as SWARCO SOLIDPLUS beads and 2-component MMA systems. Together we will be able to offer a new level of high performance road marking systems and give a boost to the driving quality and safety on Britain’s road network.”
The HITEX Group employs a total staff of 130 and generates annual revenues of roughly 27 million EUR.
Transaction closed in Liverpool on 25 Oct 2021: SWARCO COO Michael Schuch (front row, left), Geoff Lloyd (2nd from left), and Harald Mosböck (2nd from right) with further members of the Lloyd family, senior SWARCO managers and local solicitors
ABOUT HITEX
HITEX Group has evolved through decades of experience in contracting, product and equipment manufacturing to become a trusted and respected market leader in road marking; high friction surface treatment; coloured surface treatment and road repair systems in the UK.
With a strong focus on contributing to better road safety through development and improved system performance, the Group have built an enviable reputation for consistently delivering the service, quality and technical support that our customers need.
The synergy between SWARCO and Hitex will further enhance and strengthen the values on which both organisations have been built.