Okuma Europe has acquired 100% of its long-established sales partner, Dutch company Gelderblom CNC Machines BV.
The purchase will enable Okuma to expand its service and support portfolio and to 'systematically strengthen' its position in the key European countries for high-tech machine tools.
Local Okuma customers will also benefit from direct access to the company's products and services.
The purchase agreement between Okuma and Gelderblom CNC Machines was signed by both parties on 15th May this year, after an exclusive distribution partnership spanning over 40 years.
Gelderblom is now a full subsidiary of Okuma Europe, operating under the name Okuma Benelux BV, and will manage the restructured sales and service processes in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg from the existing Gelderblom location in Houten, the Netherlands.
As part of the acquisition, Okuma has taken on all 40 of Gelderblom's employees.
Okuma Europe is the Germany-based sales and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a single-source provider of CNC machine tools and related products, founded in Nagoya, Japan, in 1898. The country has more than 30 distribution partners located throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Takeshi Yamamoto, Okuma Europe CEO, said of the acquisition: "The Benelux countries are one of our most important sales markets in Europe, so it is particularly important to be close to customer requirements there and to be able to respond directly with products and services.
"The new local focus of the sales and service structure makes this possible in an ideal way. Ultimately, we also wish to increase the success of our customers by optimising our pre- and after-sales services, true to our motto 'Open Possibilities'."
