32 / 132
3 2
PLUMBING CONNECTION
WINTER 2015
AN EXCITING ACQUISITION
W
hen two reputable brands come together and
integrate with a clear vision in mind, there’s
usually something exciting around the corner. That
was the sentiment that encouraged Greg Ellis, Managing
Director of Rinnai Australia, to pursue the acquisition of
Brivis by Rinnai Australia earlier this year.
Rinnai and Brivis each boast rich histories that have
ensured their brands are etched into the minds of the
market in Australia, and in the case of Rinnai, on the global
stage.
Rinnai Australia was incorporated in Australia in 1971. It
is a fully owned subsidiary of the global Rinnai Corporation
based in Nagoya in Japan.
Rinnai began life on our shores as a small gas heater
manufacturer and supplier before diversifying into hot
water appliances in the late-80s and early-90s when it
introduced the revolutionary continuous flow, instantaneous
demand gas water heater branded the Rinnai “Infinity”.
That iconic product changed the game in terms of domestic
and commercial water heating processes in Australia. With
strong marketing initiatives and a quality product, the
“Infinity” has become a household brand that revolutionised
water heating forever in Australia and across the world.
Brivis (O’BRIen and DaVIS - original partners’ names),
on the other hand, started importing oil heaters for the
Australian market in the 1950s before manufacturing
ducted gas heaters soon after. In 1999 they were acquired
by Carrier and then by GWA in 2010.
Last year signalled a new frontier on the horizon.
“In 2014 we had the opportunity to talk with GWA,” Greg
continues. “GWA’s decision to divest the Brivis business was
predicated around their strategy rethink. That culminated
in their divestment of Dux and Brivis. We acquired the Brivis
business while Dux also found new owners.”
Brivis is coincidentally located some one hundred metres
from Rinnai’s previous head office in the south east of
Melbourne, and only 8 km
from Rinnai’s head office in
Keysborough, making the
collaboration between
the companies extremely
convenient.
“The decision for us
to acquire Brivis was met
with positive feedback all-
round,” Greg advises. “Our Board of
Directors was immediately impressed
with the flow-on strategic opportunities that Brivis brought
to Rinnai. The staff of Brivis were also delighted because
they could see Brivis becoming a respected part of the
Rinnai organisation with an innovation, investment and
growth culture, not unlike their beginnings under the O’Brien
era. Finally, there was delight from the Rinnai staff who had
long appreciated the synergies between ducted, space and
refrigerated competencies.”
Rinnai Australia, with full backing from its board, has
sizeable expansion plans for the Brivis business.
“We have identified a range of new products and
technologies ripe for investment, and the plan moving
forward is to rework a lot of the current unit operations and
manufacturing cells at Brivis and Rinnai to align them more
closely to this end,” Greg says.
“There is no need to rush our approach though. We are
building project teams as we speak and have identified clear
opportunities for integration and bringing some of the world
class technologies from Rinnai Japan to Australia.
“Pleasingly, the Brivis and Rinnai cultures are very similar.
Both companies have come from a family background,
RINNAI’S RECENT ACQUISITION OF BRIVIS SIGNALS GOOD TIMES AHEAD.
JUSTIN FELIX
EXPLAINS.
The name Brivis has been synonymous with evaporatve
cooling for decades now. Iconic products such as this one
really brought the name to the fore in this country.
INDUSTRY MOVEMENTS