Italian service centre San Polo Lamiere goes downstream

San Polo Lamiere, the north Italy-based service centre specialised in flat processing and distribution, has acquired Tecnopali, a company that produces poles, towers and lighting systems and energy transmissions, it told Platts.

“The acquisition of Tecnopali represents the continuation of the strategy of diversification downstream already pursued by San Polo Lamiere,” Tommaso Sandrini, company CEO, told Platts.

Through the acquisition San Polo Lamiere also gains a minority share in Carpenter, which manufactures accessories for lighting towers.

San Polo Lamiere and Tecnopali, which will remain independent from the business perspective and operationally, will be able to develop significant synergies both on the cost side and logistically, as they are close to each other, Sandrini said. There could also be synergies “where additional opportunity for product development and innovation will arise, he added.

San Polo Lamiere, which processes 200,000 mt of sheets and strips, closed 2016 with a turnover of €102 million and with EBITDA of over 7%, almost doubling its net profit.

Annalisa Villa, PLATTS