In order to strengthen CWS-boco’s market position in Ireland and continue to promote growth in its core business, the CWS-boco Group has made an important investment in the Irish market. From August 31, CWS-boco Ireland will be taking over the workwear, washroom hygiene, and dust control mat contracts currently serviced by the Irish company Celtic Linen Ltd.
With this acquisition, CWS-boco has further strengthened its strong market position in the Republic of Ireland. Once all the transition phases are complete, CWS-boco will be providing its services to an additional 750 new customers.
“We are investing in the future of our Irish business and focusing on further growth opportunities in our markets. I am delighted that with this acquisition we have been able to seize the opportunity to expand our industrial textile rental business for workwear, cleanroom, washroom and dust mat rental services in Ireland,” explained Clement Higgins, Managing Director of CWS-boco Ireland.
CWS-boco Ireland is part of the CWS-boco International Group with annual sales of €748m in 18 countries across Europe. In Ireland the company employees over 300 people in Dublin, Cork and Galway and had a turnover in 2014 of €26m. The company is one of Ireland’s largest textile rental and hygiene services companies with close to 5,000 customers in pharmaceutical, medical device, engineering, food manufacturing, hotel, restaurant and retail sectors.
Celtic Linen Ltd. was founded in 1926 and has a reputation for quality and service in Ireland in the healthcare market in particular.
CWS-boco and Celtic Linen have now agreed that the CWS-boco Group will take over their complete workwear, dust control mat and washroom service. In return, CWS-boco is transferring its current Hospital linen business to Celtic Linen Ltd. while CWS-boco will retain its sterile surgical supplies business in its Dublin cleanroom facility. This step will allow both players to concentrate on their core business areas.
As a result, CWS-boco Ireland will be able to optimise the capacity utilisation of its processing plants in Cork, Dublin and Galway more efficiently in the future and use this opportunity to grow further in the core segments of workwear, mats and washroom hygiene. The transfer of all the business processes to the Irish CWS-boco operations will be completed on a phased basis from August 31.