Howardson grows with Sisis
Garden machinery designer and manufacturer Howardson, based in Derbyshire, has bought rival company Sisis for an undisclosed sum.
The company will now become a division of Howardson alongside mower manufacturer Dennis.
Ian Howard, managing director of Dennis, said: “We have acquired the respected brand, designs, patents and intellectual property and this new partnership is part of our ongoing investment strategy.
“Our traditional strengths – reliability and excellent customer support – will enhance this partnership and we are optimistic about our future together, working as a team to further grow our profile in the market. Our products dovetail extremely well.”
Macclesfield-based Sisis reported a turnover of £2.96m in the year to 31 December 2009, down from £3.64m a year earlier. A loss of £310,400 before tax was also incurred – a result the directors described as “unsatisfactory”.
Howard said the business would now conduct an “immediate review of all aspects” of the Sisis business. However, the company told Insider it could not confirm what the review would mean for staff in Cheshire. Sisis employed 51 people at the end of 2009, according to its latest financial report.
Dennis mowers were first produced in 1922 and were used to cut grass at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Howard added: “These are exciting times as we build on a long period of strong performance and a particularly successful year in 2010.”
