C.R. Laurence acquires Ebor Group Holdings

C.R. Laurence Co., Los Angeles, acquiredEbor Group Holdings Ltd., Manchester, England, according to a March 20 CRL release.

Ebor was founded in 1981 by Stephen Boocock and three partners, and has grown to be a well known supplier of accessories, tools and machinery to the glazing and stone industries throughout the U.K. Ebor recently added the CaesarStone line of quartz surfaces and the Eurofit line of architectural hardware to its product offerings.

“All 55 employees of Ebor will be staying on, including all four directors; Stephen Boocock, managing director; Jonathan Whiteley, financial director; Simon Boocock, sales director of Glazing Accessories and Eurofit; and David Beckett, sales director of CaesarStone and Stone Accessories,” said Donald E. Friese, CEO, CRL, in the release.

“We see this acquisition as the official launch of our European strategy that was announced atglasstech in Dusseldorf in the fall of 2008," Friese said. "Ebor will act as the European headquarters for CRL Europe, and will be responsible for that operation, as well as our existing CRL operation in Bad Wimpfen, Stuttgart, Germany."

CRL will make substantial investments in both the U.K. and German facilities. In Rochdale, Manchester, the company will immediately begin construction on a 75,000-square-foot facility scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2010. This facility will be in addition to the existing facilities with more than 37,700 square feet for floor space, according to the release.

CRL will install its information technology systems used throughout the company, worldwide, to manage the 50,000 item product line, which will be integrated into the existing Ebor range of products. The company also will introduce its successful “rapid customization” process to the European market to provide products to customer specifications with lead times similar to “off-the-shelf” products.

In addition, Friese announced that a 30,200-square-foot facility has been purchased in Ilsfeld, outside of Stuttgart and, after some modifications are completed, will open in June 2009, according to the release.