Benders Sverige AB has acquired Bohusläns Kooperativa Stenindustri and its sales company, Bohusgranit AB. The acquisition makes Benders one of Sweden’s largest concrete and granite companies.
“There is a long-term ambition behind the acquisition. We feel it will bring major structural advantages. At the same time, we can introduce our know-how in, for example, production. Our goal is to develop our operations in the Bohuslän region and eventually restore the former competitiveness of the Swedish granite industry,” says Ove Bender, owner and MD of Benders.
“We are very positive about the deal. It means that quarrying in Bohuslän will not only continue, but also develop. This will result in more job opportunities. The ambition is high and the goal is to take a firmer grip on the Nordic market. We believe in and care about what is here and what is around it. The stone is both quarried and worked in Sweden. The quality of the granite from Bohuslän is very high. Thus, we see great possibilities for developing operations,” comments Anders Olausson, MD of the cooperative.
“Bohusläns Kooperativa Stenindustri, which also owns sales company Bohusgranit AB, was founded as early as 1926. Despite our age, we are a young company at heart and fit well with Benders,” continues João Escudeiro, the cooperative’s chairman.
“Bohus granite is well-known throughout Europe and there is great potential to build exports back up to previous levels. Domestic manufacture and export are, after all, important from a socio-economic perspective. This is a product where, today, 70% of Sweden’s demand is satisfied through imports, even though the material is here and is of a better quality,” relates Eric Waxin, MD of Bohus Granit AB. “Benders’ organisation means that there is every possibility that we can recapture some of quarrying’s former glory in Bohuslän.”
“That our corporate cultures match is, of course, an important part of the reasoning behind the acquisition,” opines Ove Bender. “We believe in the long-term approach with reinvestment of our profits. We also believe in personal commitment and a local presence and a local responsiveness to the business climate. Not least, we are every day convinced of the influence of the individual. That each of us can make a difference. In other words, we see great possibilities in the acquisition. It is an important part of our offensive strategy to become an important player in the granite industry in the Nordic countries.”
From its very beginning, Benders Sverige AB has developed strongly in its core areas of landscaping and roofing products. With some 400 employees, the company’s current turnover is around SEK 1 billion. Its head office is in Edsvära (near Kvänum), where the company was also founded in 1960. Benders has a number of production units in Europe. In Sweden, the locations are Braås, Bålsta, Edsvära, Fjärås, Floda, Frillesås, Götene, Hjo, Uddevalla, Åstorp and Kvänum. To these can be added Sandefjord in Norway, Kritzkow in Germany and Karditza in Greece. Benders is a private family-owned company. The owners are chairman Karl Erik Bender, MD Ove Bender and Helen Bender.
Bohusläns Kooperativa Stenindustri (“Bohus County Quarrying Industry Cooperative”) was, as stated, founded in 1926 and its products are sold via its sales company, Bohusgranit AB. True Bohus granite is found in only one area. Stretching from Gullmarsfjorden in the south to Strömstad in the north, it is only a few kilometres long. For both public and private projects, the company quarries and shapes true Bohus granite at four sites. These are Ävja, Näsinge, Rabbalshede and Skärholmen. To complement production, other types of stone are also offered for indoor and outdoor use.
For further details, please contact:
Ove Bender, MD, Benders Sverige AB, +46 (0)701 687003
Anders Olausson, MD, Bohus Kooperativa Stenindustri, +46 (0)707 955665
João Escudeiro, chairman, Bohus Kooperativa Stenindustri, +46 (0)523 459925
Eric Waxin, MD, Bohusgranit AB, +46 (0)8 56256460
