Sika has acquired a majority stake in Index Construction Systems and Products, a leading manufacturer of roofing and waterproofing systems headquartered close to Verona, Italy. The company generates annual sales of CHF 115 million. By acquiring Index, Sika will extend its product range and significantly strengthen its position in the Italian market.
Index is a well-established, family-owned company with a highly regarded brand and a loyal customer base. Its product portfolio consists of technologically advanced bituminous membranes for roofing and waterproofing, products for thermal and acoustic insulation, as well as waterproofing and repair mortars. The company mainly serves customers in Italy, but also in more than 100 other countries worldwide. Index was established in 1978 by Luigi Carlon, who has owned and run the company since then. To ensure a smooth transition, he will keep a minority stake and continue to contribute to the management of the company as the Chairman of the Board of Index.
Thanks to the acquisition Sika can profit from Index’s know-how and expertise in bitumen technologies when further developing its business in Southern Europe and North Africa. By combining both companies’ products, Sika will become a full-range supplier offering all available technologies in the roofing and waterproofing market. Furthermore, access to the broad sales network of Index will provide significant cross-selling opportunities.
Luigi Carlon, founder of Index: “I am very proud to have found in Sika a partner who will support the growth of Index. Together we will advance our market position as the Italian market leader for roofing systems, and further develop our business. Thanks to the worldwide presence of Sika, I am especially glad that Index can continue to grow and in the future bring even more innovative products to our customers.”
Paul Schuler, CEO of Sika: “We are delighted to welcome the Index employees into the Sika team and look forward to expanding our joint business operations. Index is a proven industry leader and together we will hold a strong number one position in the Italian roofing market. On account of its high research and development competence, and expandable production capacity, Sika will establish the new site as its Southern European production hub for bituminous systems, with potential to also serve the Middle East and Africa.”
Source: Sika
France has launched an offshore green hydrogen production platform at the country’s Port of Saint-Nazaire this week, along with its first offshore wind farm. The hydrogen plant, which its operators say is the world’s first facility of its type, coincides with the launch of another “first of its kind” facility in Sweden dedicated to storing hydrogen in an underground lined rock cavern (LRC).
The project sets up the Hydrogen Valley in Rome, the first industrial-scale technological hub for the development of the national supply chain for the production, transport, storage and use of hydrogen for the decarbonization of industrial processes and for sustainable mobility.
At first glance, hydrogen seems to be the perfect solution to our energy needs. It doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide when used. It can store energy for long periods of time. It doesn’t leave behind hazardous waste materials, like nuclear does. And it doesn’t require large swathes of land to be flooded, like hydroelectricity. Seems too good to be true. So…what’s the catch?
