The transaction is effective immediately.

"This is in line with our ambition to continue strengthening our position in the building systems industry inside and outside Europe," says Lars Hauk Ringvold, who is responsible for Hydro’s global aluminium building systems activities. "Italy is an important market for us."

The distribution centers, with 33 employees in total, are located in:

• Canicattì
• Catania
• Mazara del Vallo
• Palermo

With surface area of 7,700 square meters, the site in Catania is the largest of the four. By adding the four new centers, Hydro will bring to 25 its number of distribution centers in Italy. These are spread throughout the country.

"Distribution is critical in Italy, with the geography we have, and we will continue to serve our customers in this way," says Augusto Caporrella, who manages Hydro's aluminium building systems operations in Italy.

Hydro is one of Europe's preferred suppliers of aluminium building systems, and also delivers to scores of other countries around the globe. Its international brands - Domal, Technal and Wicona - cover the whole range of system products, from windows and doors for single-home residential solutions to the erection of façades on major structures such as new airports or high-rise buildings.He points out that the Domal-brand system is "Italy's leading aluminium system" in terms of volume, and that Hydro also markets its Wicona systems in the country. "This is our elite system for special projects," says Caporrella.