GREENVILLE, N.C. — UNX Industries and Christeyns USA recently announced they are entering into a merger agreement to create UNX-Christeyns. The new U.S.-based entity will be able to deliver an unparalleled portfolio of chemicals, detergents, engineered equipment and cleaning solutions to the commercial and industrial textile care market, according to a statement released by the companies.
This alliance aims to create significant opportunities for customers by combining Christeyns’ global innovation and supply chain capabilities with UNX’s domestic manufacturing and distribution platform, the statement goes on to read. The agreement also means the companies will be combining their booth space (#4128) and discussing future plans with customers at the upcoming Clean Show, July 30-Aug. 2, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
With the arrangement beginning July 1, company headquarters will be located in Greenville, North Carolina. Josh Lilley of UNX will serve as Chief Executive Officer and Christeyns’ Rudi Moors becomes the president. Sales and service staffs, as well as their established distributor networks throughout the country, will remain in place.
“We have embraced family values for over 60 years in our business, and now another like-minded family-oriented business with a global reach has joined us,” Lilley says. ‘This agreement makes us a stronger, more flexible organization that is laser-focused on expanding our presence in the U.S.”
“This is a true 50-50 partnership, and both companies have compatible values and a shared passion for serving our customers,” Moors says. “Current and future customers will benefit from a wider selection of products and wash concepts, enhanced service, and the chemical innovation and R&D capabilities we have to offer.”
UNX was founded in 1958, providing companies with commercial-grade cleaning products for their laundry, housekeeping and warewash needs.
“We strive to bring added value to our customers, and this merger gives us the ability to provide better buying power and new product concepts to make them more efficient operators,” says Lilley. “Christeyns has 46 offices, 17 manufacturing facilities and nine R&D centers around the world. When you add in the manufacturing, distribution and supply chain strengths UNX has built domestically, these are strong attributes that will benefit our customers.”
Christeyns USA was a division of Christeyns, the $300M family-owned and operated Belgian manufacturer of cleaning, hygiene and disinfection products for laundries, the food industry, cleaning companies and the medical sector serving customers in over 50 countries.
“We intend to be one of the top three chemical providers in the textile care sector,” says Moors. “As a family-owned company, UNX developed very close relationships with their customers that was integral in building their business. When you add in the full complement of resources from an internationally respected company, UNX-Christeyns represents the best of both worlds. We have our customers’ best interests in mind, and our combined resources and experience will benefit them across the board.”
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