Last year, São Paulo-based Duratex acquired a stake of 37% in Tablemac, and this September it has bid for the additional shares priced at (Col. peso) $8.60 per share at an estimated total value of US$22.5m.
Meanwhile, Tablemac has launched a new 92,000m3/year Wemhöner melamine laminating press line at its Barbosa MDF plant. Initially, it will finish just 10% of the plant’s fibreboard, along with larger format particleboard panels produced by the firm’s two other board mills in Yarumal and Manizales, Tablemac told WBPI.
The US$4m investment will enable Tablemac to expand its range of finished panel products and meet a growing demand for new colours, designs and textures. The new melamine line will also help the firm compete with finished particleboard imports from Ecuador.
Tablemac, which is operating Colombia’s first MDF line, reported overall sales up by nearly 50% for the first half of 2013 at US$47.5m with domestic sales increasing by over 40%. Its exports rose by 167% from a low base.
