GAP acquires SIG division
- depot chain grows to 112
1st August 2017

GAP today announced the acquisition of SIG Building Plastics and SIG Windows, making it the UK’s second largest building plastics trade counter chain, with 112 units as well as giving it a strong presence in the south of England.

The deal also includes an extensive portfolio of drainage, sheet material, window and roofline brands, including Scotplas, Omnico, CFS, PBM-DQS, Summers, Armour, Roplas, Toogood, Drainex, Plastics Pipe Supplies and Project Plastics. SIG’s Formerton Sheet Sales and Specialised Fixings businesses are also included in the deal. Ownership of all the brand names and trading styles transfers to GAP.

Blackburn-based GAP (General All-Purpose Plastics Ltd), manufacturer, stockist and distributor of PVC-U roofline, doors and windows, was launched 24 years ago by co-founders Simon Bird and Charles Greensmith, and now serves 31,000 customers nationwide, including several of the UK’s national and regional house builders, maintenance contractors and housing associations. It operates through two large factories and its 46-depot network, which it has recently been extending at the rate of one new facility per month.

Simon Bird said: “Charles and I set out to build a business based on passion and people, and we remind ourselves every day that we owe our success to hiring and retaining amazing staff. Anyone who takes pride in putting customers at the centre of their working day and who thrives in a friendly, supportive, lively and fun environment, will enjoy being part of the growing GAP family.”

GAP group sales & marketing director Paul Sowerby, added: “From the first meeting with SIG we saw a well-organised, profitable business and a focus on supporting local tradesmen with the best quality products at the keenest possible prices. Their network of busy depots is particularly strong in the South of England and so provides us with reach but limited overlap with our own existing network. It all makes for a perfect fit.”

SIG UK Exteriors Managing Director Andrew Wakelin said: “The business environment is highly competitive and constantly changing. This means companies need to be agile, flexible and responsive to the needs of customers. This move is a positive affirmation of those principles and absolutely in line with our commitment to the development and success of our business.

“We’re confident that the Building Plastics and Windows product ranges have found a good home within GAP.”

GAP was advised by Garry Elliott, Matthew Davies, Ben Collins, Catherine Concannon, Richard Wilkinson, Jess Burgess, Beatrice Duke and Charlotte Marshall from Addleshaw Goddard LLP, and by Paul Trickett and Maninder Minhas from Deloitte M&A.