URSA gets new owner: Leading building materials provider Xella signed contract with KKR

Xella International GmbH has signed a contract with the investment firm KKR to buy URSA. The sale is subject to the approval of the competition authorities and expected to be closed before the end of 2017.

URSA will continue its successful growth path as separate business unit under the roof of Xella Group complementing Xella’s existing portfolio of building material brands.

“We are looking forward to becoming part of the Xella Group. Xella is a very successful company in the building materials industry and deeply understands our markets, customer needs and products. This will give us important impulses for our profitable growth strategy that we will keep on implementing with high priority and strong client focus“, says Pepyn Dinandt, CEO of URSA.

The Xella Group develops, manufactures and markets building materials, dry lining panels and lime and limestone products. With its Ytong, Hebel and Silka brands, Xella is one of the world's largest manufacturers of autoclaved aerated concrete and calcium silicate units. The Multipor brand stands for non-flammable mineral insulation boards. Fermacell and Fermacell Aestuver provide dry lining and fire protection solutions while Fels is one of Europe's leading producers of lime and limestone products. With their brands and products, Xella provides state-of-the-art solutions for energy-efficient wall construction. URSA will complement Xella’s portfolio as a separate business unit.

“Especially in recent years, URSA has delivered outstanding performance. We highly appreciate what URSA’s executives and employees have achieved and are looking

forward to welcoming them as part of the Xella family. Consequently, URSA will become an independent business unit to continue its successful development. Xella will support URSA with all measures that are appropriate to achieve further profitable growth”, says Dr. Jochen Fabritius, CEO of Xella Group.

While URSA will operate as an independent business unit focused on the specific needs of its clients in the insulation materials industry, there are various areas in which both companies will benefit from each other. First of all, URSA completes Xella’s portfolio of mineral based building materials creating opportunities to combining products of the new brand family to innovative solutions. Also, in terms of size, countries as well as management structure, URSA is very similar to Xella’s existing business units allowing for a fast and smooth process of growing together.