Milwaukee-based Brady Corp. has acquired Runelandhs Forsaljnings AB, a direct marketer of industrial and office equipment in Kalmar, Sweden.
Runelandhs, founded in 1992, offers a range of products for the maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) market via mail-order catalogs and internet sales. Its products include lifting, transport and warehouse equipment; workbenches and material handling supplies; products for environmental protection; and entrance, reception, and office furnishings. With annual sales of approximately $19 million, Runelandhs serves more than 50,000 customers throughout Scandinavia.
“Runelandhs is a well-established direct marketer with 20 years of experience, a loyal customer base, and a strong focus on customer satisfaction. This acquisition supports our strategy to expand our direct marketing business in Scandinavia, an area which offers significant potential for growth,” said Peter Sephton, president of Brady EMEA. “We view Runelandhs as a launch pad for bringing our current Seton safety and facility identification products to this region which, with many businesses in remote places and a good direct marketing and postal delivery system, is an ideal place for us to grow.”
“Brady has the global infrastructure and quality brands to help bring Runelandhs to the next level of growth. We are happy to be joining forces with the Brady and Seton teams in Europe, and we look forward to bringing a more comprehensive product offering to our MRO customers,” said Runelandhs founders, Stig Larsen and Per Bergstrand.
Brady also recently made two smaller acquisitions: Grafo Wiremarkers Africa (Pty) Ltd. a supplier of wire-marking products with annual sales of approximately $ 3 million; and Pervaco AS, a direct marketer of facility identification products with annual sales of approximately $6 million. Grafo is located in Johannesburg, South Africa and marks Brady’s first acquisition on the African continent, and Pervaco expands Brady’s presence into Norway.
