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Combining strengths
MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd acquires US-based Gentz Industries
MB Aerospace Holdings Ltd, one of the UK’s leading aerospace companies, has announced the multi-million pound acquisition of US-based Gentz Industries. The strategic acquisition doubles the size of MBAe’s current operations creating an international brand with total revenues in excess of $80m per annum. The group will focus on the supply chain management, manufacture and repair of highly complex machined and fabricated components for global aerospace and defence original equipment manufacturers. The group, which has operations in Motherwell, Derby and Burnley, completed the sale of its two non-core subsidiaries, MB Faber (in August 2009) and MBAe Oil & Gas (March 2011), as part of its strategy to focus on its key aerospace business. Gentz Industries, based in Detroit, North Michigan, has an outstanding reputation within the global aerospace industry, manufacturing complex, high-precision engine components to an established customer base, comprising some of the leading names in the global aerospace market. The deal will see the merger of Gentz Industries’ 250 strong workforce with MBAe’s three UK sites in Scotland and England, bringing the total number of employees in the group to more than 400. Visit: www.mbaerospace.co.uk
Atlas Copco acquires Chinese compressor business
Atlas Copco (China) Investment Co. Ltd has acquired certain assets of Guangzhou Linghein Compressor Co. Ltd. The acquisition supports Atlas Copco’s profitable expansion in China, adding a brand of industrial air compressors with a strong regional presence.
Linghein, founded in 2001, is located in the city of Guangzhou in South-East China. The company has a turnover of approximately MCNY 110 (MSEK 100) and 160 employees. The company primarily designs and produces small and medium-sized oil-injected rotary screw compressors. It has over the years established a solid organisation with sales and service representation in various regions over China and a strong distributor network.
The acquired business will become part of Compressor Technique’s Industrial Air division. It will continue to operate under its own brand, in line with the Atlas Copco Group’s well established brand portfolio strategy. Visit: www.atlascopco.com
Sika acquires Axim from Italcementi Group
Sika is to acquire the global concrete admixture and cement grinding aid businesses of Italcementi Group, which are on the market under the brand Axim. Axim has approximately 150 employees and through six legal entities operates several production units and sales organisations in Italy, France, USA, Canada, Morocco and Spain. Axim has a history of over 30 years of experience in the market and offers a broad and innovative range of concrete admixtures, cement grinding aids and specialised chemicals that enhance the performance of cement and concrete, as well as improving cement production efficiency. “The agreement,” stated Giovanni Ferrario, COO Italcementi Group, “will allow the group to capitalise on the value of this business.” Visit: www.sika.com
The Bosch Group plans to acquire voltwerk electronics GmbH, a Hamburg-based supplier of electronic components and software solutions for the operation of photovoltaic arrays. An agreement to this effect has been signed with Conergy AG. The acquisition is subject to approval by the antitrust authorities.
In 2010, voltwerk electronics and its roughly 100 associates generated sales of some €68 million. Its product portfolio mainly comprises string and central inverters for photovoltaic arrays. “In acquiring voltwerk electronics, Bosch can enter the inverter market, as well as draw on a broad product portfolio ranging from 3kW string inverters to 1400kW central inverters,” said Dr Volkmar Denner, the Bosch board of management member responsible for research and advance engineering.
Alexander Gorski, Conergy’s director of operations and sales, commented: “We are very pleased to have found an investor and partner that is so highly regarded and strong as Bosch. It will now develop and drive forward the business of voltwerk electronics.” Visit: www.bosch.com
LINKINGUP
Linde to acquire Air Products’ Continental-European homecare business
The technology company The Linde Group has signed an agreement for the acquisition of the Continental-European homecare business of the industrial gases company Air Products at an enterprise value of €590 million. This business achieved annual sales of €210 million in 2011. The transaction comprises Air Products’ homecare operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Portugal and Spain with around 850 employees.
“Healthcare is one of our three strategic growth pillars. It has proven to be a stable business and builds on the mega-trend of changing demographics,” said Professor Dr Wolfgang Reitzle, CEO of Linde AG. “With this transaction we are expanding our competencies and scaling-up our product and service offering, delivering quality care to around 260,000 additional patients.”
Homecare is the term applied to medical services relating to the treatment of patients in settings other than hospitals. It comprises respiratory services such as oxygen therapy, sleep therapy, and ventilation services. In the 2010 financial year, Linde achieved global sales of around €280 million in this product area. Linde is the second largest supplier of medical gases and related services in the world. Visit: www.linde.com
Skanska acquires road construction company in Poland
Skanska Poland has signed an agreement for 100 per cent of the shares of the construction company PUDiZ with its subsidiary WMPD. PUDiZ Group is specialised in road construction and employs about 450 people. The revenue for 2010 was PLN 160 million, about SEK 350 million. The company is based in Olsztyn, in the north-east of Poland.
“We are really pleased with this acquisition that helps Skanska enter a new geographical area of the Polish market. PUDiZ is a financially stable company with a full range of services for road projects that will enable us to strengthen our position as the general contractor for road construction in north-east Poland,” says Krzysztof Andrulewicz, president, Skanska Poland. The acquisition has been approved by the competition authorities.
Skanska Poland, one of the largest construction companies in Poland, had sales of SEK 9 billion in 2010. The company has about 7500 employees. Skanska Commercial Development and Skanska Infrastructure Development are also active inPoland. Visit: www.skanska.com
CASSIDIAN and Alenia Aeronautica agree on UAS cooperation
AMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Cassidian on behalf of EADS Deutschland GmbH and Alenia Aeronautica SpA to jointly investigate the potential cooperation in the field of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV).
Alenia and Cassidian are aiming to strengthen their technological know-how in order to establish a leading role in the UAS market. Thanks to this agreement, the two companies will analyse the requirements expressed by each of their respective governments in the UAS sector with the objective to create a strategic partnership and to expand their global UAS market share.
Bernhard Gerwert, COO of Cassidian, said: “We look forward to investigating further collaboration with Alenia Aeronautica around a next generation MALE UAS which is of utmost importance for Europe’s military aviation industry.” Visit: www.cassidian.com
HEXPOL acquires Muller Kunststoffe
HEXPOL AB has come to an agreement with the German Rowa Group to acquire Horst Müller Kunststoffe GmbH & Co. KG.
Müller Kunststoffe is a leading central European developer and manufacturer of thermoplastic elastomer compounds (TPE Compounding) and has two production units in Lichtenfels, Germany.
“The acquisition constitutes yet another step in our ambition to broaden our product range within our Compounding business area,” says Georg Brunstam, president and CEO of HEXPOL Group. “The market for TPE compounding is undergoing great growth with interesting and increasing customer applications within the field of medical, consumer, general industry and automotive. Müller Kunststoffe perfectly complements our European TPE compounding operations where we already have units in the UK and Sweden.”
Müller Kunststoffe is expected to be consolidated during January 2012 after being subject to regulatory approvals and has an estimated annual turnover of approximately €46 million with around 90 employees. Visit: www.hexpol.com
