On 18th August 2023, the AVK Group signed the agreement to acquire 100% interest of the Bayard Group, presently part of the TALIS Group. The acquisition, which is expected effective as of 1st October 2023.
Going forward, the business will continue to trade as Bayard and continue to operate out of its head office and manufacturing base in Meyzieu near Lyon, France.
Bayard is a strong and well-established brand with a strong portfolio of leading water industry products with significant market positions on hydrants, gate valves, butterfly valves, pressure control and regulation valves and other accessories primarily for the water industry.
The business will remain standalone businesses alongside AVK’s widespread businesses worldwide. The current management team remains in place, led in Bayard by David Chambon, Renaud Dumoulin, Edouard Sollier and Marie Rives.
The Bayard Group will be part of the AVK Water division.
“We are excited to welcome the Bayard Group into the AVK family of companies. This is an exciting acquisition with huge potential.
The Bayard Group will significantly strengthen our position in several markets and business segments, as well as adding comprehensive knowledge within our AVK Water sectors. With a very wide product package, optimised production facilities and a strong team of motivated people, we look forward to working together to further support our customers and markets with quality products and solutions, securing safety in the infrastructure networks.
I know Bayard Group will benefit from being part of the global AVK organisation where they will be able to access further support in the key strategic areas of growth, leadership and lean.
I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of everyone in AVK to wish the teams at the Bayard Group every success.” - Morten Sæderup Nielsen, AVK Regional Director Continental Europe, and new chairman of the Bayard Group.
AVK Group info :
AVK is owned by Niels Aage Kjær and family and based in Galten, Denmark. The company was founded in 1941 by Aage Valdemar Kjær.
AVK is a global company with three main business areas : AVK Water, AVK Industrial and AVK Advanced Manufacturing.
AVK's core business is the development and production of valves, hydrants, and accessories, but also including other products and components in rubber, plastics, and metal.
AVK is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of valves within water supply, and the products for the Group are important parts of the infrastructure in the handling of drinking water, gas, wastewater, firefighting, and a wide range of industrial processes.
AVK's products are contributing to solutions supporting the green transition.
The AVK Group has an annual turnover above EURO 1 billion and employs close to 5,000 people in more than 100 companies globally.
AVK is represented in France by three companies: AVK France in Blois, which is the sales company for the AVK group's water and wastewater products, AVK Haute Marnaise in Joinville, which is a manufacturer of hydrants, and Orbinox France in Genas here in Lyon, which targets industrial customers. In total, AVK currently employs 60 people in France.