DuluxGroup to save more from Alesco PAINT maker DuluxGroup may save twice as much as originally expected from its takeover of building products and garage door supplier Alesco. DuluxGroup acquired Alesco in December 2012. DuluxGroup managing director Patrick Houlihan said that after three months of owning Alesco, DuluxGroup was well advanced in identifying cost savings and had undertaken strategic reviews of each of Alesco's businesses. "To date, we've identified cost synergies of $9 million, ahead of the original estimate of $5 million," Mr Houlihan said in a statement on Monday. Mr Houlihan said DuluxGroup had largely completed reviews of the Parchem construction products business, and Alesco's garage doors business, and had identified a range of growth opportunities. DuluxGroup would retain the Lincoln Sentry cabinet and window products business, which it believed had "compelling growth potential." "Taking account of the base business performance, cost synergies, potential revenue synergies and strategic upside, we are confident that the (Alesco) acquisition will generate strong returns, even before any cyclical recovery (in housing)," Mr Houlihan said. Mr Houlihan also said on Monday that the DuluxGroup businesses before the Alesco acquisition was trading in line with expectations and had shown positive revenue growth up to February despite subdued markets. DuluxGroup reiterated its previous expectation of a higher net profit for the 2013 full year on a like-for-like basis, subject to economic conditions, and excluding Alesco-related impacts. Shares in DuluxGroup were 0.5 cents lower at $4.515 at 1122 AEDT on Monday.