Belgium-based adhesive group Gluecom has strengthened its position in the UK with the acquisition of two companies.
The company, led by West Flanders entrepreneurs Xavier Desimpel and Louis Piette, continues to expand across Europe, with operations in Belgium, France, Poland, and Germany.
The first acquisition, Adhesives Direct, specializes in hotmelt adhesives for packaging applications – a key growth market for Gluecom. The company has already been integrated into Gluecom’s site near Birmingham, which has been part of the group for over 20 years.
Gluecom has also acquired Enterprise Adhesives, a producer of dispersion adhesives and distributor of hotmelts and jelly glues. The company, based in Basildon, operates alongside Pafra Adhesives, which Gluecom acquired three years ago in what is considered its most significant acquisition to date.
With these latest deals, Gluecom has now completed six acquisitions in the UK. Notably, in each case, the existing shareholders approached Gluecom, often due to impending retirements. This reflects Gluecom’s strong reputation in the UK market, where it has become the undisputed leader in various adhesive segments, competing successfully against major multinational firms.
