Three days after Rubix — Europe’s largest MRO supplies distributor — completed its acquisition ERIKS UK & Ireland, the company promoted David Morkeberg to Group CEO and a new member of Rubix’s board of directors.

Morkeberg was previously Rubix Group Chief HR Officer. Franck Voisin, previously Group CEO, has left Rubix after 17 years. He led the business for the past two years after serving as CEO of Rubix France for the previous five years.

Before Rubix, Morkeburg was Group Chief HR Officer for Inchcape Shipping Services following senior HR Director roles in A.P. Moller – Maersk, Baker Hughes and Rexam plc. Throughout his career he has worked on leadership teams focused on building growth organically and through acquisitions.

“I would like to thank Franck for his contribution to the Group and, in particular, for the excellent progress he made while CEO of Rubix France. He leaves Rubix well positioned to focus on further market share gains that will consolidate our position as a leading player in European industrial distribution,” said Group Chairman Johan Sleebus in a news release. “The Board was unanimous in deciding that David was the right person to lead the business through the next phase. As a member of the Executive Board, we have worked closely with him over the past seven years. We have seen his considerable experience and commercial acumen guide the Group through a turbulent period for European manufacturing. He has managed the cost base and protected profitability with discipline and rigor, establishing resilience as a hallmark of our business,” continued Sleebus.

“It’s an honor to be leading Rubix and a responsibility that I do not take lightly,” Morkeburg added. “The business serves a very important purpose – to keep the wheels of industry turning. My colleagues across the Group work very hard every day to provide the knowledge, expertise, products and services that manufacturers need. We have the people, the platform and the potential. I’m committed to ensuring we capitalize on all of that in making our scale count and taking market share in the years ahead.”

On Nov. 3, Rubix completed the acquisition of ERIKS UK & Ireland, previously announced in March. ERIKS UK & Ireland is an industrial distributor with a specialist flow technology offer, including hoses, valves, sealing and gaskets, as well as associated technical services such as customization and repair. The acquisition brings together two multi-specialist industrial distributors offering a broad range of products and services, while extending the Rubix offer in flow technology. As a result of the transaction, Rubix UK, Ireland & Iceland becomes the Group’s second-largest regional market with combined annual revenues in excess of €850 million.

Rubix is owned by private equity group Advent. In conjunction with the ERIKS deal completion, Advent sold a minority stake in Rubix to Neuberger Berman Private Markets.

Following the CEO news, Rubix announced Nov. 7 that it has acquired bearings distributor Konrad Haluk.

Founded in 1974, Konrad Haluk has 25 employees and is headquartered in Elztal, Germany (Baden-Württemberg district), generating more than €20m in annual sales.