DIHAG Holding together with Dutch company Royal IHC, took over the Belgian steel and iron foundry Allard-Europe NV. DIHAG based in Essen, Germany, and Royal IHC, specializing in shipbuilding and equipment for maritime construction, have formed a joint venture.
Castings production at Allard Europe. Source: DIHAG Holding
The Allard-Europe NV steel and iron foundry in Turnhout, Belgium was established in 1920. It is known for wear-resistant materials and primarily manufactures products for the offshore, dredging, shipbuilding and energy industry.
“With the Allard-Europe takeover, we are strengthening our position in Europe and adding high-quality and application-engineered materials to our portfolio,” explain Stefan Mettler, Technical Director, and Dr. Heiko Brauckhoff, CSO of DIHAG Holding. “The joint venture with Royal IHC will allow us to enter new industries and target markets in the area of subsea construction.”
With the merger, DIHAG Holding and Royal IHC are bundling their strengths in an outstanding market environment with intense pressure on prices.
“DIHAG Holding brings technical expertise from foundry processes to the table, and they are thus the right partner for us to continue to develop materials for our demanding market,” told Sander Korving, Director Supply Chain Management at Royal IHC. Allard-Europe will increasingly deliver directly to Royal IHC in the future – the competitive and decisive advantage being the short distance between the Netherlands and Belgium.
