Continuous investment in its brand and its people are top of the agenda at Exmet, the new owners of Metpost, the UK’s top brand of fence post supports and accessories.
The two key priorities were announced by John Cowley and Nigel Dickinson who, along with a third shareholder Roger Hall, formed their own company - Exmet Building Products Group - to acquire Expamet.

They have a five-year expansion plan for the Hartlepool-based building products firm, along with a targeted acquisition strategy, which includes further companies within the building products and construction sectors.

Exmet Chairman, John Cowley, is already tracking potential acquisitions while managing director Nigel Dickinson is concentrating on bringing Expamet's Hartlepool plant - which employs over 130 staff - up to capacity.

Both have spent their whole careers in the building materials industry and have a history of working successfully together. They met at Ruberoid where John Cowley was md and Nigel Dickinson the sales director.

In 2001, they and a third partner took over Marley Waterproofing.

Said Dickinson: "We don't see Expamet and Metpost as purely 'turn around' businesses, we want to be proactive - to make the company grow substantially in the long term."

He continued: "The brands are well-recognised and we now have the opportunity to build and develop them further."

The aim is to further develop Expamet's and Metpost's already-strong customer base by improving communication and increasing the account management team, along with a more dedicated and improved research and development facility.

"Together this will help to ensure a cohesive range of products that will meet all the requirements of the market," Dickinson said.