Ali Group North America will no longer exist as a brand going forward after the company said it would be known as Welbilt with immediate effect.
Ali Group completed the acquisition of Welbilt back in July 2022 after winning a bidding war with rival Middleby.
The deal was always going to be hugely significant for Italy-based Ali’s US operations, with CEO Filippo Berti stating at the time that it would “rebalance” the firm’s sales towards North America.
He revealed it would double America’s contribution to group turnover to 48% and give it almost as many factories in the US as it has in Italy.
Mr Berti said this week that by operating and merging under a single brand in the North American market it is seeking to capitalize on the strength of Welbilt’s heritage and reach in the USA.
He explained: “This strategic move leverages Welbilt’s strong brand reputation, significant market presence, comprehensive customer solutions and well-established relationships particularly within the QSR sector, with the goal of offering the most complete turnkey solutions package in the industry.”
As a result of the move, the Welbilt logo has been redesigned to reflect a fusion of both companies’ cultures (below).
Along with the rebrand, the company announced a new North American leadership group, consisting of Mr Berti, CFO Bradford Willis and executive VPs Rob August and Tom Hotard.
Mr August will retain a focus on sales and distribution, while Mr Hotard will oversee operations and engineering.
Current Welbilt CEO Kevin Clark will be appointed to the board of directors of the North American group, and will focus on special projects such as those that will facilitate the integration of Ali Group North American companies into Welbilt.
To ensure a seamless transition and continued leadership, the company said it has also introduced a new group president role.
These individuals – which include Nate Jackson, Will Means, Erica Motes and Oscar Villa – will support the corporate executives in overseeing the numerous companies.
“This integration represents not just a merging of products and services, but a unification of our teams’ talents, expertise and vision,” added Mr Berti.
“It is a significant step towards strengthening our market position and delivering unparalleled value to our customers, setting a new standard in the industry and ensuring our continued growth and leadership.”
Ali Group companies outside of North America are not affected by the change.
