Last year, it was announced that the Bo’ness-based door blank and components business would invest a seven-figure sum to secure a 25-30% share in Moralt AG, a business that evolved from Moralt Tischlerplatten, which went into administration in 2011 (www.ttjonline.com May 26, 2012).
At the same time German blockboard producer SWL was also to take a share. The plan was that Halspan would market and sell SWL and Moralt blockboard, laminboard and specialist panel products outside German-speaking countries – including continental Europe, North America and the Gulf region (Lathams was to continue to sell Moralt in the UK).
Now, however, according to German timber magazine Euwid, it has been decided that Moralt chief executive Klaus Feile will retain 100% of the core blank and door systems business, negating the arrangement with Halspan. Moralt’s rod blockboard operation will go to SWL.
“The decision won’t be officially made until a meeting next week,” Halspan managing director John Martin told TTJ.
“But it does look as though this is what is going to happen. It’s out of our hands.”
He said Halspan was phlegmatic about the German move and was not urgently seeking alternatives for the Moralt products it was due to offer.
“Once everything is settled, we may continue to be supplied from Moralt,” he said. “It’s wait and see.”
