wienergerber – wienerberger acquires Serbian Univerzum Group – investing in emerging growth markets

EMR Analysis

More information on wienerberger AG: See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Heimo Scheuch (Chairman of the Managing Board and Chief Executive Officer, wienerberger AG): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

More information on Dagmar Steinert (Chief Financial Officer, wienerberger AG): See the full profile on EMR Executive Services

 

 

More information on Univerzum Group by wienerberger: https://univerzum.co.me/en/ + Since its founding, the company “Univerzum” has been developing in the fields of building construction, civil engineering, design, reconstruction and adaptation of industrial, commercial, and residential buildings, IT sector, sale and rental of residential and business premises. So far, the company has successfully implemented many projects in Montenegro. Today, the company is focused exclusively on doing business in the local, Montenegrin market, where it acts as an Investor and a general contractor of craft and construction works, most often on a turnkey basis.

The company is headquartered in Podgorica.

The Univerzum Group is a leading producer of clay blocks in Serbia, a structurally growing market in Southeastern Europe. The Group, employing approximately 200 employees at two production sites, has established nationwide market coverage for clay masonry materials and benefits from a strong brand, a well-established customer base, and a highly efficient logistics setup.

Revenues in 2026 are expected to reach approximately €20 million.

More information on Predrag Ivanović (Founder and Owner, Univerzum Group, wienerberger): N.A.

More information on Milena Đinović (Executive Director, Univerzum Group, wienerberger): N.A.

 

 

More information on NEWS Group by wienerberger: https://news-group.se/ + Northern Environmental and Water Solutions AB (NEWS) offers a complete range of wastewater solutions outside the gravity-based municipal system. The group develops, manufactures, markets, sells and installs high-quality products and systems for pumping and treating wastewater. The company was founded in the 2000s and is now the leading player in the Nordic market.

The Group is organized into three business areas:

• Skandinavisk Kommunalteknik AB
  Products and systems for pumping sewage
• FANN VA-teknik AB
  Products and systems for cleaning individual sewers
• Alunda Polyeten AB
  Manufacturing and molding of integral plastic components

The group has sales companies in Sweden, Norway and Finland and sells through distributors in Denmark, Poland and Hungary.

NEWS’ majority owner is Litorina , which invests in niche market-leading companies and is headquartered in the Nordics. Litorina collaborates with management teams and entrepreneurs who we support to take the next step in their development.

Litorina’s investors are long-term international institutional investors who directly or indirectly primarily manage pension savings for Nordic, European, Asian and American workers.

The group has centralized all production of plastic components at its factory in Alunda, just outside Uppsala. The factory houses both traditional production technology and new rational manufacturing methods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EMR Additional Notes:

• Clay Blocks: 
  • Clay blocks are highly efficient, sustainable structural elements used to build load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls in modern and traditional construction. Unlike standard thin red bricks, these blocks are significantly larger and feature a multi-cellular, hollow design. This honeycombed structure provides internal pockets of air that dramatically improve thermal and acoustic insulation. Mainstream systems like Wienerberger Porotherm dominate the market, utilizing precision-engineered designs that interlock vertically. This cuts down on assembly time and mortar use. 

 

 

• EBIT:
  • Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) is a measure of a company’s operating profitability before accounting for interest expenses and income taxes. It is also known as operating profit and shows how effectively a company’s core business is generating profit from its operations.
• EBITA:
  • Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) is a measure of company profitability used by investors. It is helpful for comparing one company to another in the same line of business.
  • EBITA = Net income + Interest + Taxes + Amortization
• EBITDA: 
  • Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) is an alternate measure of profitability to net income. By including depreciation and amortization as well as taxes and debt payment costs, EBITDA attempts to represent the cash profit generated by the company’s operations.
  • EBITDA and EBITA are both measures of profitability. The difference is that EBITDA also excludes depreciation.
  • EBITDA is the more commonly used measure because it adds depreciation—the accounting practice of recording the reduced value of a company’s tangible assets over time—to the list of factors.
• EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Multiple):
  • Enterprise multiple, also known as the EV-to-EBITDA multiple, is a ratio used to determine the value of a company.
  • It is computed by dividing enterprise value by EBITDA.
  • The enterprise multiple takes into account a company’s debt and cash levels in addition to its stock price and relates that value to the firm’s cash profitability.
  • Enterprise multiples can vary depending on the industry.
  • Higher enterprise multiples are expected in high-growth industries and lower multiples in industries with slow growth.