A Normandy-based Business Forges International Partnership

Heron Industries Inc. Now Majority Shareholder of Techni bureau

All Jobs Safe at the Office Furniture Specialist

Eu, Normandy, August 7, 2008 – Heron Industries announced today its takeover of Techni bureau as majority shareholder of the Eu-based office furniture specialist. Heron Industries, a US company worth more than (US) $150 million, has a staff of over 1,000, 2 plants in the United States and 1 in Mexico.
Although Heron Industries’ long-standing primary business is manufacturing automotive parts, the thriving company now also makes metal components with added value meaning it has become an influential mover on the office furniture market.

Techni bureau is a small business with a staff of 250, specialised in office furniture, focussing on office design and creation, metallic filing cabinets, and custom-made furniture. Its products are sold by major retailers and professional mail-order firms in Europe and also through direct sales to end-consumers. The expertise of the firm – renowned for its flexibility and reactivity – lies in its ability to turn out small-scale furniture production and manufacture custom-made products.

Heron Industries, a family business established in 1964, has been diversifying and turning its talent toward the office furniture market for the past five years.

Heron Industries, which was looking for a business to take over to promote its European development plan, met with the Chicago Office of the French Agency for International Investments (AFII) and later with AFII correspondent Normandie Développement. The latter found the company that Heron Industries could buy into and provided support to the potential buyer during negotiations that lasted a mere five months, from the first contact to when Heron Industries became majority shareholder.

Heron Industries would like to underscore the important part that Normandie Développement, the bi-regional agency for the economic development of Normandy, played in the takeover.

For more information on Techni bureau: www.technibureau.fr
Press contact:
Heron Industries: chantal.deturckheim@technibureau.net