The Freudenberg Group (Weinheim / Germany; www.freudenberg.com) is expanding its Household Products business with another buy. For an undisclosed sum, Freudenberg Household Products has signed a deal to acquire the Australian household and cleaning products manufacturer E.D. Oates (Broadmeadows; www.oates.com.au) from GUD Holdings. The transaction requires approval from the relevant authorities, and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018.

With its headquarters near Melbourne, Oates is said to be the market leader in the professional cleaning business in Australia. The company generates annual sales of approximately EUR 46m in Australia, with around 100 employees.

Freudenberg recently added to its Household Products segment with the purchase of Italian laundry care products producer Gimi (Monselice; www.gimi.eu) and US group Edgewell Personal Care's (St. Louis, Missouri; www.edgewell.com) "Playtex" gloves business – see Plasteurope.com of 20.10.2017. With this recent acquisition, the company is expanding its footprint in the Asia-Pacific region.