Brady acquires Australian safety company

Brady Corporation, a world leader in identification solutions and specialty materials, announced that it has acquired Accidental Health & Safety Pty. Ltd., and its business unit Trafalgar First Aid Pty. Ltd., headquartered in Glendenning, New South Wales, Australia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Accidental Health & Safety and Trafalgar are leading suppliers and distributors of customized first-aid kits and supplies, and related safety products and signage for commercial enterprises in the Australian market. The companies, which employ about 70 people, market through a national network of distributors as well as a direct sales force, and serve customers in all states in Australia. Its fiscal 2005 sales were approximately $9 million (U.S.).

"The acquisition of Accidental and Trafalgar will reinforce Brady's position as a leading provider of safety products and services in Australia by increasing our access to industrial and commercial markets and providing an expanded distribution network for our broader line of safety and workplace identification products," said Brady Australia managing director Stephen Millar.

"Joining Brady gives us a great opportunity to further grow our business, and we look forward to working together to provide Australian customers the finest in first-aid and safety supplies," said Tony de Rooy, Accidental Health & Safety managing director.

Brady's presence in Australia dates back to 1970 when it opened its first sales office there, with production operations added in 1979. Brady acquired Visi Sign near Melbourne in 1999 and Safety Signs Service in Western Australia in 2001. Today, Brady employs about 150 people in Australia and operates from a 60,000 square-foot facility in Regents Park near Sydney.

Brady Corporation is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete solutions that identify and protect premises, products and people. Its products help customers increase safety, security, productivity and performance and include high-performance labels and signs, safety devices, printing systems and software, and precision die-cut materials. Founded in 1914, the company has more than 300,000 customers in electronics, telecommunications, manufacturing, electrical, construction, education, medical and a variety of other industries. Brady is headquartered in Milwaukee and employs more than 5,500 people in operations in the United States, Europe, Asia/Pacific, Latin America and Canada.