Carpenter (Richmond, Virginia / USA; www.carpenter.com) has expanded its European activities through the acquisition of PUR flexible foam specialist Dumo (Roeselare / Belgium; www.dumo.be) for an undisclosed sum.

Dumo has around 550 employees and generates annual sales of approximately EUR 50m. The company was bought through an MBO from Shell in 1999. It produces block foams in its main plant at Roeselare and cuts them to size in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Germany (Büren). Its principal market is in “comfort foams”, for mattresses and furniture in particular, but also in the automotive industry.

Carpenter itself manufactures mattress and furniture foams as a core business. It also supplies a range of products including carpet backings, polyester fibres, EPS foams for insulation and packaging or fillers for the tyre industry. In 2005, the company generated sales of USD 1.46 bn with 5,900 employees.