VDL Groep acquires GL Plastics

GL Plastics has been acquired by VDL Groep. All 60 employees of the specialist in plastic injection moulding will continue to work at the company, which is based at Science Park Eindhoven in Son. GL Plastics will continue under the name VDL GL Plastics. The activities of GL Plastics align well with the activities of VDL Groep in the field of plastics.   

GL Plastics was founded in 1989 by Gerard van der Leegte, brother of Wim van der Leegte. The company specializes in high-quality injection molding and primarily serves clients in the automotive industry, the medical industry, and climate control. The annual turnover of GL Plastics was €15 million in 2021. VDL Groep, with its subsidiaries VDL Parree, VDL Kunststoffen, VDL Wientjes Emmen, VDL Wientjes Roden, and VDL Fibertech, already has a strong position in the world of plastics.  

‘Further developing together’

Director Bert van der Velden of GL Plastics, who is also selling his shares, looks forward to collaborating with VDL Groep: “The acquisition by VDL enables us to serve our international customers even better and to develop further together. Through our focus on high-quality and automated injection moulding, the acquisition also offers us new opportunities with VDL customers. GL Plastics is strong in metal-plastic combinations. We want to develop further in this area; the metal expertise within VDL Groep will certainly help us. For our employees, this acquisition means that our continuity and future prospects are strengthened as part of the VDL family. Additionally, with VDL Groep, we are better equipped to invest in the development of our employees and resources.”

'High-quality manufacturing company'

President and CEO Willem van der Leegte of VDL Groep: "We are delighted to be able to add a high-quality manufacturing company like GL Plastics to VDL Groep. As the competencies of GL Plastics seamlessly align with those of VDL, we foresee numerous synergy benefits from this acquisition."

GL Plastics was part of GL Group together with GL Precision until March 2015. From that moment, GL Precision became part of VDL Groep and was renamed VDL GL Precision. This high-tech company specialises in manufacturing complex and precision mechanical parts and modules, including for the semiconductor industry, aerospace, and optical industry.