The specialist in insulating glass units with high energy and environmental performance has just finalized the acquisition of 100% of the glass transformer Vidresif, based in Porqueres, north of Girona (Catalonia). With this latest acquisition, RIOU Glass enters the Spanish market with its second-largest ever IPO.

This is RIOU Glass' second major acquisition since the family business was founded in 1979. After Italy and Belgium, the Normandy-based ETI has just signed on October 19 the 100% buyout of its Spanish counterpart Vidresif. With this new strategic acquisition - part of the RIOU GLASS VERRE 2025 development plan - the flat glass processing specialist is taking its first steps in Spain. With annual sales of 25 million euros, and a total workforce of 115, Vidresif becomes the second largest of the group's twenty-three industrial sites, behind RIOU Glass VIP, the historic plant based in Boulleville (Normandy). The acquisition of Vidresif will enable RIOU Glass to penetrate the Spanish market, and thus gain market share in the territory, as well as strengthen its value proposition by expanding its glass product offering to customers in Spain and on the French border.

A consolidated industrial process

Founded in 1994 by the founding couple Joan Sánchez Mauri and Carmen Acedo, Vidresif has established itself in less than thirty years as a leading player in northern and eastern Spain, thanks to industrial investments that have enabled it to expand its glassmaking expertise. In 2003, Vidresif was the first company in the country to install a "Jumbo" assembly line, enabling it to produce large-scale glazing for the façade market (6000 x 3210 mm). Over the years, the Catalan glassmaker has developed a fully consolidated industrial process at its 15,000 m2 plant in Porqueres, 25 km north of Girona, where 175,000 m2 of insulating glass units are processed every year. Thanks to its expertise in digital printing, Vidresif now manufactures and markets products ranging from the most design-oriented to the most technical and large-scale for the architectural and construction sectors: tempered, laminated, decorative, solar control, acoustic glass, etc. In addition to the Porqueres plant, Vidresif has a logistics platform on the Balearic Islands to serve the local market. The company's portfolio of industrial customers stretches from Catalonia, Andorra and the Balearic Islands to the Levant.

"We are delighted to welcome Vidresif and its teams to RIOU Glass. This strategic alliance is the expression of our determination to pursue the development of RIOU Glass in Europe. Vidresif's expertise, consolidated on a single, ultra-modern site, is a real asset. It will enable us to strengthen our value proposition for both Spanish companies and our French customers," comments Christine Riou Feron, President of RIOU Glass.

"RIOU Glass is an independent manufacturer and processor with a proven reputation. The synergies are numerous, with excellent growth prospects which, I'm sure, will ensure the continuity of our expertise", emphasizes Joan Sánchez Mauri, Managing Director of Vidresif.