Trade distributor now has “a substantial shareholding” in BathEmpire.com
Trade distributor of building materials, plumbing and heating products Wolseley has acquired a “substantial” shareholding in online bathroom retailer bathempire.com. It has the option to acquire the remaining equity stake at a future date.
Founded in 2009 and employing 150 people, in the year ended December 31, 2014, BathEmpire.com generated revenue of £26million.
According to Wolseley, the acquisition gives the company “a strong position” in the UK business to consumer (B2C) online bathroom market.
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Commenting on the acquisition, CEO of Wolseley Ian Meakins said: “The UK B2C online bathroom market is growing rapidly and BathEmpire.com gives us an established brand with a scalable platform and the opportunity to build a significant presence over time.”
Operating in North America, the UK and Europe, the Wolseley Group revenue for the year, ended July 31, 2014, was £12.8billion and trading profit was £761million. It has around 41,000 employees, is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is in the FTSE 100 index of listed companies.