Wienerberger taking over Univerzum Group: Austrian giant buying Serbia’s largest clay block manufacturer

The Austrian construction giant Wienerberger, a leading global supplier of innovative solutions for building materials and infrastructure, has officially signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of the Serbian company Univerzum Group (Univerzum Export-Import doo), the company’s headquarters in Vienna announced.

With this acquisition, Wienerberger significantly strengthens its presence in the fast-growing market of Southeast Europe, taking over the leading domestic clay block manufacturer in Serbia in two production facilities - in Arandjelovac and Indjija.

The Austrian company emphasizes that clay blocks remain the most dominant material for wall construction in Serbia. The residential sector and renovation projects in the country have shown exceptional resilience to global economic pressures, and demand is growing due to demographic trends and stricter construction quality standards.

Wienerberger CEO Heimo Scheuch stressed that the investment was a direct response to changes in global demand:

– Southeastern Europe has strong momentum in the construction sector, and demand for clay blocks will grow due to market catch-up effects, supporting sustainable above-average volume growth.

Scheuch added that this acquisition also opens up great opportunities for cross-selling, as it enables the integration of new wall systems with Wienerberger’s existing roofing and piping solutions in the local market.

According to the official statement, the acquisition of 100% of the Serbian company will be carried out in phases. Due to this transaction structure, the purchase price payments will be spread over 2026 and 2027.

The final implementation of the contract and the takeover of the factories in Indjija and Arandjelovac are subject to official approval by the competent competition protection authorities (antimonopoly commissions) and the fulfillment of standard closing conditions.

Financial analysts consider this move to be extremely profitable for the Austrian concern. The transaction is expected to immediately contribute to the growth of the entire group’s earnings, with a highly attractive synergy EV/EBITDA multiple of around five times.

B. P.

Wienerberger doo Kanjiža

UNIVERZUM ARANĐELOVAC

Wienerberger

Univerzum Group

clay blocks

production

acquisition