Company owner Klaus Feile has made several recent UK trips to visit Moralt’s UK distributor James Latham, customers and check the progress of product testing at Chiltern International Fire.
Mr Feile, who took 100% ownership of the Moralt door blank and door systems business in a deal in February, told TTJ that Moralt could now firmly leave behind a two-year period of instability, which started when former company Moralt Tischlerplatten went into administration in 2011.
“One of the most important things is to get the customer’s confidence back,” said Mr Feile.
“We’ve had an encouraging set of financial results. Turnover was up 16% on what we had planned in the first four months of 2013.”
Mr Feile said the recent restructuring of Moralt AG, which saw it sell its panels business, including the Bad Tölz laminboard production plant, to SWL Tischlerplatten Betriebs-GmbH, meant the company could focus on the profitable doors business and use sale proceeds to invest in new products.
“The result is we have the money we need and it’s not necessary to have a loan from banks or anybody else. We have a good cash situation.”
He said Scottish door blank and components business Halspan, which made a seven-figure loan to Moralt AG when it was formed in 2012, had mostly been paid back. Halspan is responsible for Moralt’s international sales (outside Europe and the UK).
More UK product testing will take place in July, while a new 98mm-thick CE-certified Moralt Passive House compliant door kit, complete with ironmongery and frame, is being launched this week by James Latham.
Lathams has also launched new door product literature which includes Moralt FireSound, FireSmoke and FireSafe products.
“Lathams is very pleased to have Moralt back on its feet and testing new products,” said a Lathams spokesperson.
