Companies

Woodies parent company Grafton Group looks to deploy firepower on acquisition hunt

Eric Born, chief executive of the building materials company, said he was focused on becoming the number one or two provider in other European countries

Eric Born, Grafton Group chief executive, said he was focused on becoming the number one or two provider in other European countries. Picture: Fergal Phillips

Grafton Group, the building materials and merchant company that owns Chadwick’s and Woodies, has widened the scope for identifying European hardware businesses for acquisition.

The firm has significant firepower with the latest results stating it had £379.9 million in cash in dispensable capital.

Eric Born, chief executive of the company, was appointed in November 2022 and has been under pressure to explain how the company is going to deploy the capital.

In the latest results ...