Tensar sell Netlon business

The Tensar Group announce the completion of the sale of the Netlon Division of the business to the Belgian subsidiary of Conwed Plastics of Minnesota.

The Tensar Group's Chief Executive Jim Paul today announced the completion of the sale of the Netlon Division of the business to the Belgian subsidiary of Conwed Plastics of Minnesota.

"The new owners will give a fresh boost to the Netlon brand, which continues to have real demand and value in the marketplace," commented Jim Paul, "and as the Tensar business goes from strength to strength, the sale will enable us to concentrate our investment in the Tensar product range".

Netlon, formerly a division of the Tensar Group based in Blackburn, was the originator of the generic 'netlon process' for the manufacture of extruded netting.

The technology has been licensed worldwide, producing products such as packaging net, garden mesh and filter screens.

More recently Netlon has focussed on filtration, protective sleeving and turf protection products.

Conwed is a specialist manufacturer of plastic netting with a range or products that include nets and meshes for the agriculture, building, hygiene and automotive industries.

The company operates in Europe from a plant in Genk, Belgium.

Tensar estimate that six jobs will be lost as a result of the Netlon sale.

This is significantly lower than originally anticipated as the majority of the Netlon production staff are to be absorbed into the other manufacturing operations at the busy Tensar plant in Blackburn and the field sales team will be transferring to Conwed.

Over recent years Tensar has enjoyed steady growth from their geogrid products sold into the construction sector.

The company exports worldwide and has direct selling operations in Germany, Sweden, the Middle East and China.

Last month the company officially opened a new production plant in Wuhan, China.

"We have seen a rapid expansion in our Tensar sales in the last two years and our plant in Blackburn is at near capacity to keep pace".

"The opening of the Chinese plant is helping us to meet the increasing demand as well as putting us in a good position to develop our market in China," added Jim Paul The Chinese operation began as a joint venture, but Tensar recently bought out its j.v.

partner to gain full ownership.

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