Spanish bathroom giant Roca has acquired Akvaton, a leading Russian firm specialising in bathroom products. The move is designed to consolidate Roca's position in a market it views as "strategically important".

Akvaton has a market share of around 15% in the Russian bathroom sector. It employs 550 people, and makes sanitaryware and solid surface basins in the city of Davidovo, 100km east of Moscow.

Roca said that the acquisition would enable it to satisfy increasing internal demand in the Russian market, along with its Commonwealth of Independent States, which is enjoying strong economic growth.

"Roca recognised the exciting potential for substantial growth when it first entered the Russian bathroom business in 1990 and the company intends to build on its presence with the ultimate aim of becoming the market leader in this country," a company statement said.

This isn't the first purchase Roca has made in Russia. It bought Ugrakeram in 2010, which specialises in the manufacturing and marketing of vitreous china sanitaryware through a factory that Roca says has the biggest production capacity in the Russian Federation.

Ugrakeram has four plants: Kaluga, 200km south of Moscow, Tosno, 50km from Saint Petersburg, as well as Cheboksary and Novocheboksarsk. Roca is also planning to open a sixth plant this month manufacturing acrylic bath tubs.

In total, Roca now has 71 manufacturing plants in 17 countries.