Zodiac has merged with Fluidra, a multinational residential and commercial pool group based in Spain. Fluidra will keep its headquarters in Barcelona, and its executive president Eloi Planes will serve as executive chairman of the board of directors. The North American headquarters will remain in Vista, California, and Zodiac CEO Bruce Brooks will serve as the company’s CEO.
The merger will expand the new company’s geographical reach and product offerings. Fluidra, which will keep its name and public listing on the Spanish stock exchange, operates via subsidiaries in 45 countries and under the brands of AstralPool, Cepe, CTX Professional and Gre.
“By combining Fluidra and Zodiac, we will build a strong and exciting platform from which to better serve our customers, develop user-driven sustainable innovations and create opportunities for our people and our dealers,” Planes says. “This merger will create significant value for all our shareholders.”
The merge, which was unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies, is expected to be completed in early 2018. The transaction is subject to the approval of Fluidra’s shareholders, and the customary regulatory conditions.
“This will be a merger between two industry leaders with a shared customer-centered vision, a commitment to innovation and a clear and complementary set of values,” Brooks says. “We will have expanded reach into growing global markets and the ability to accelerate product development and better meet our customers’ needs worldwide.”
