BPB buys Rawlplug for £25m

Rawlplug, which makes wall-fixings, was today snapped up by plaster and plasterboard supplier BPB for £27m.

The deal will see Rawlplug's 250 staff in Glasgow transfer to BPB, along with distribution businesses in Ireland and France.

In the year to December, Rawlplug achieved sales of more than £31m.

The 82-year old plug was invented by builder John Rawlings and is used after drilling to fix anything from shelving to pictures to walls.

It was originally made out of jute, bonded with animal blood, but was replaced with plastic in the 1960s.

Richard Cousins, chief executive of Slough-based BPB, said: "The acquisition of Rawlplug demonstrates BPB's commitment to invest in fast-track lightweight building systems which complement existing distribution networks and strengthen our leadership positions in growth markets".

He added the group would fit well into BPB's Artex-Blue Hawk decorative products and distribution business, and would strengthen its service of offering internal lining systems to builders' merchants.