Gang-Nail‘s business and its roof truss and timber engineering software products will benefit from becoming part of the ITW (Illinois Tool Works), says its sales and marketing manager, Jason Ruddle.
The company was acquired by ITW from Eleco in December and Mr Ruddle said the transfer to new ownership was going well.
“The existing management team has been working closely with Michael Cavillon, ITW Components Group’s industry Europe vice-president, to make the transition as smooth as possible,” he said.
ITW’s aim in buying Gang-Nail was to “enhance its existing offering of products , software and services”, which meant further development for Gang-Nail products.
“Strategically speaking, the acquisition will help ITW to strengthen its position within the building components industry throughout the UK, Ireland, South Africa and additional emerging European markets, by building on Gang-Nail’s expertise.”
He added that one innovation the company had been working on was its new hinged roof panel system.
Unveiled at Timber Expo last year, the system enables panels linked with special hinge connector plates, to be delivered “like a closed book”, then opened on site to the desired angle, at increments of 2.5 degrees.
“We see good opportunities with this given advances in the room-in-the-roof market,” said Mr Ruddle. “We’re aiming for a market launch mid-year to autumn.”
Gang-Nail’s Roof & Truss and Matrix software programs will continue under ITW’s ownership and all manufacturing and office staff will be retained at its existing Aldershot premises.
Eleco, which made a pre-tax loss of £1.9m on sales of £48m last year, sold Gang-Nail and its South African business International Truss Systems for £7.9m.
Century-old ITW employs 60,000 people worldwide and had sales of US$15.4bn in 2010.
It also owns open web joist, truss rafter, connector and software specialist ITW Alpine.
