Jysk owner Lars Larsen has bought the Tvis/Holstebro-based Actona Company, one of Northern Europe's largest furniture companies, which produces and sells furniture to retailers in over 90 countries.
Actona's turnover is in the region of DKK1.1b (around £105m), and the company employs 1200 people. It will now be part of the Lars Larsen Group, which besides Jysk includes furniture chains Bolia.com, Ilva and IDEmøbler, as well as the furniture company Interstil and garden furniture manufacturer Scancom.
"Actona is a healthy company with good values, a highly-competent management team and a strong organisation. The business area is of course a good match for Lars Larsen Group, so I am very pleased we have reached this agreement,” says Lars Larsen.
Actona CEO Torben Villadsen says: ”I am sure that this development will strengthen Actona. We will have an owner whose perspective is long-term and who wants only the best for us. And we can continue our excellent relations with customers and partners."
Actona was founded back in 1981 by Orla Dahl Jepsen, who passed away at the early age of 58 in 2014. A takeover by the group is right for Actona, according to Susanne Dahl Jepsen, Orla Dahl Jepsen's widow, who comments: ”I know that Orla would have been happy with Lars Larsen as owner, both for the sake of the company and its employees. Orla and Lars knew each other well and shared the same values.".
Today, the group concists of several different companies. Their common denominator is whole or part-ownership by Lars Larsen – in other respects they are run as independent brands and organisations. Lars Larsen stresses that this will also be the case with Actona.
"Actona is a strong player in the sector – the management know what works for them," says Lars. "They also have a very sensible vision for their future development. As the new majority shareholder, my job is to give them the best conditions for continued growth, so that they can become even stronger as an independent part of Lars Larsen Group."
Whilst Lars Larsen will hold the majority of shares in Actona, current directors including CEO Torben Villadsen, operations director Aksel Lægsgaard and commercial director Søren Damgaard will also own shares. The takeover is subject to approval by competition authorities.
