Bekaert Grows In Central Europe

NV Bekaert SA (Kortrijk/Belgium) has announced that it has made an agreement with Penta Investments Limited and Majetkovy Holding a.s. to acquire 100 % of the shares of Drotovna Droty a.

s. and Drotovna Kordy a.s.

in the Slovak Republic. Both Drotovna Droty a.s.

and Drotovna Kordy a.s. were incorporated in 1999 as a result of a restructuring of Drotovna at Hlohovec, 75 km North East of Bratislava.

The present owners have been going through a rationalisation process which will give Drotovna Droty a.s. a capacity of approx.

60,000 tonnes of various steel wires for the Central European market and Drotovna Kordy a.s. a capacity of approx.

9,000 tonnes of tire cord and approx. 8,000 tonnes of bead wire. The acquisition of both companies will increase Bekaert’s market share and strengthen its competitive position in the fast growing Central European market.