For the first time in its history, SF-Kooperation can welcome a shareholder from the USA: Oldcastle Building Products, Inc.
The partnership negotiations conducted over a period of months, recently came to a successful conclusion. They were led on behalf of the entire Oldcastle Group by the long-standing Canadian SF member, Bertin Castonguay, president of research and development for Oldcastle Building Product.
Oldcastle Building Products is the leading North American manufacturer of paving and hardscape products, as well as concrete masonry, and well known for its concrete paver with the brand name Belgard. Since 1 January 2012, Oldcastle has officially been the exclusive shareholder of SF Kooperation in USA. Permacon-Group continues to be SF’s exclusive shareholder in Canada.
Thanks to special contractual provisions, conflicts of interest with SF Concrete Technology, the former subsidiary of SF-Kooperation in Canada are unlikely to continue, following a three-way agreement. SF-Concrete will remain licensor for products released prior to December 31, 2011.
Through this association with SF-Kooperation, Oldcastle wants to secure exclusive rights to SF’s expertise for North America; this became clear from discussions with Bertin Castonguay at the 2011 Shareholder Meeting. By intensifying its relations with SF-Kooperation, Oldcastle expects to position itself with new ideas as the concrete block industry in North America gradually recovers.