Shower tray manufacturer JT, has been acquired by Kartell UK, one of the largest suppliers of radiators to the independent and merchant showroom sector.
Current operations director Paul Haigh will take over as managing director from the exiting Paul Crossley, who will move into an advisory role to support the wider group.
Haigh, along with sales and marketing director John Schofield and finance director Lee Walker, will continue to run the business from the company’s Leeds base.
As one of the largest shower tray manufacturers in the UK, JT employs more than 125 people and turns over around £14m. Kartell, founded by MD Alex Norford, turns over more than £60million and operates with 200 people across two sites in Bedford and Wigan.
Paul Crossley said: “After running a broad and comprehensive search for the ideal home for the business to compliment and accelerate the work we have done as a team over the last five years, we identified Alex and the team at Kartell as the right people to take JT on.
“I am very proud of what we have achieved and am equally excited about the opportunities arising from working with Kartell for JT and everyone here who has contributed to its journey so far.
“It has been an unbelievable journey for me: building JT into a real brand and market leader in the bathroom industry and there have been an awful lot of people in those 19 years that have made a considerable contribution; I would like to thank them all.”
Alex Norford said: “I am excited to add JT to the Kartell family and look forward to working with the talented team at JT to drive the brand and sales growth to the next level.
“The acquisition of JT will enable us to create a strategic alliance to offer additional value to all customers and stakeholders across both brands. An innovative approach to manufacturing will enable Kartell to help to continue growing the Export business that has been so successful.”