From safety footwear to personal protective equipment: U-Power acquires Cerva Group. The Piedmont-based company specializing in work footwear and clothing has signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% of one of the leading players in the PPE market, based in Jeneč, Czech Republic, just outside Prague. The group employs 600 people and has logistics hubs with a total area of almost 100,000 square meters and a distribution network in Central Europe. This operation creates a pan-European group with a combined revenue of nearly €500 million and a commercial presence in over 60 markets.
U-Power acquires Cerva Group
The joining of U-Power, a company founded in 2006 and based in Paruzzaro (Novara), and the Czech group will result in one of the most comprehensive and recognized portfolios of brands and products in the sector, as well as significant commercial and operational synergies. While U-Power is known as a European leader in safety and workwear footwear, Cerva Group generates 80% of its revenue from its own brands: Cerva, Panda, and Gloves Pro.
The potential of the union
The acquisition will accelerate the penetration of U-Power footwear in Cerva’s key markets, the development of new collections in categories such as gloves and workwear, and the joint optimization of production and logistics capabilities. “Together, we will be able to accelerate growth in new markets”, Franco Uzzeni, founder and CEO of U-Power, told La Stampa newspaper, “and offer our customers an even more comprehensive and innovative range, while maintaining a focus on quality, safety, and sustainability”.
The rise of U-Power
The U-Power group was in turn acquired in September 2023 by Renaissance Partners, an investment company with aggregate revenue of approximately €6 billion and a focus on medium-sized family businesses based primarily in Italy. The founder of the Novara-based company, Franco Uzzeni, reinvested a 30% stake and remained at the helm of the company. U-Power currently serves over 10,000 specialist retailers in more than 50 countries. Now, with this new operation – which is expected to be completed between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026 – the group has further prospects for growth and transformation.
Photo from U-Power
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