The 600 Group already has a strong manual machine tools business, with Colchester and Harrison brands prominent.
Formerly Spain’s largest manufacturer of milling machines, Kondia went into administration in 2015. 600 Group now owns the Kondia name, all intellectual property and a large inventory of spare parts whose value exceeds the acquisition costs.
Clausing, one of the leading 600 Group companies and with operations centred in the US, sold the Kondia range of FV series milling machines for over 20 years, establishing it as a leading brand in North America. In 1990, sales of Kondia machines in the USA contributed $3 million in revenues to the 600 Group. Clausing brand machine tools are offered in the UK now, too.
The 600 Group expects to generate revenues immediately from the supply of spare parts in North America, as well as the rest of the world where Kondia machines have been sold. In addition, the company intends to start producing the popular Kondia FV milling machine, which will complement the successful US-built line of 600 Group machine tools, including drills and saws.
Says Don Haselton, divisional managing director of the machine tool operations in the UK and USA: “We are very excited about adding another great brand to our line-up of machines and also the opportunity it gives us to grow the Kondia business both in North America and worldwide. This acquisition increases group earnings immediately and, looking ahead, I'm very confident that our team will build the revenues further as we develop the opportunities we have identified in this business.”
