Acquisition offers Renson new opportunities Down Under

Stronger foothold in Australia with local production of windproof screens

With the acquisition of Perth-based Issey Sun Shade Systems, Renson will start up a new production site for wind-resistant Fixscreen cloth awnings in Australia in 2022. With this, the Belgian family company - following the recent opening of production sites in USA and China - is taking a new step towards realizing its international ambitions as a world player in cloth awnings, ventilation and outdoor living. 

Faster delivery, closer to market

"For screens, the long delivery times by boat from Belgium have not been justifiable for some time," said Paul Renson (CEO Renson). "That is also the reason why we started producing them locally earlier in USA and China. Now it's Australia's turn and that's another region where we see a lot of growth potential in terms of fabric awnings."

Not that Australia is a blank page for Renson. So far, 2 representatives have already been active Down Under. They previously reported strong interest in Renson's high-end outdoor living products. These will - also in the future - be custom manufactured in the new production site in Belgium and shipped worldwide from there, including to Australia. But for the less investment-sensitive products in the Renson range, such as Fixscreen fabric awnings and the Algarve patio cover, Renson had been looking for some time to produce locally. A matter of being able to supply the Australian market faster and in a more focused way and to be able to respond better to specific, local needs and service.

Same DNA

That opportunity presented itself in the form of Issey Sun Shade Systems, a Perth-based family business with 30 years of experience in outdoor shading on the counter, where the next generation saw no bones about following suit. "Our product vision is very close to Renson's," explains Lane van den Akker (Director Issey Sun Shade Systems). "Quality is also at the top of our priority list and technically our products lean very close to Renson's. Only the best is good enough. In any case, our customers are delighted with Renson's acquisition and look forward to a strengthened position in the Australian market."

"In terms of DNA, there was an immediate match anyway: Issey's drive, operational and technical knowledge fit perfectly with what Renson also stands for," said Paul Renson. And although the company is located on the Australian West Coast in Perth while the greatest market potential is on the East Coast, that too ultimately proved to be more of an advantage than a disadvantage. After all, it does provide a few extra hours in common in the cooperation with Belgium, while a 3-day delivery time from Western to Eastern Australia does not outweigh the 2 months by boat. Also nice is the strong name Issey has built up for 30 years among architects, a target group that is also highly regarded by Renson. And with a strong distribution network in all major Australian cities (Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane), this acquisition gives Renson the opportunity to start doubling its distributor network locally.

Next step in global internationalization

After production sites in USA and China, Renson is now taking a big step forward in Australia as well, in order to better respond to the local market with local production. Strategically, this new acquisition is very important for Renson to be able to adapt quickly in Australia. Equally important is that Renson is also doing good business here in terms of logistics.

"Now that a lot is moving in Australia in terms of legislation around ventilation, we see new opportunities there as well," adds Paul Renson. "And of course the local production of screens for outdoor living is also a nice stepping stone to potential new partners. Thanks to this acquisition, we are doubling our turnover with the entire Renson Group in Australia in one fell swoop, but the ambition must be to increase it fivefold again within five years..

Local anchoring

Paul Renson: "Local anchoring has two faces for Renson: with the bulk of production manufactured in Belgium, we can continue to meet the high quality for which Renson as a brand stands. But after all, we cannot keep supplying worldwide from Europe forever. And so for me local anchoring also means operating close to your market. That also creates mutual trust. European design & technology, assembled in Australia': that appeals locally, and that is how we will play it."