Transactions

With its operating entities Salzgitter Maschinenbau AG has positioned itself in attractive niche markets in the field of specialist plant and engineering construction.  PEINER SMAG Lifting Technologies GmbH is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of grabs and other handling equipment for loading and unloading bulk goods of all kinds as well as other special lifting equipment. It focuses its activities on ports, cargo handling operations, manufacturers of cranes and construction equipment, steelworks, recycling operations and waste incineration plants. The factories in Salzgitter (Germany, headquarters), Shanghai (China) and Ranipet (India) design and manufacture loading equipment to meet the entire range of cargo handling operations.

From its plant in Braunschweig, NORDMEYER SMAG Mining & Drilling Technologies GmbH (NSMD) designs and builds mobile drilling rigs for mining and water exploration, geothermal projects and geological site investigations for construction projects. It also manufactures special vehicles of all kinds.

SMAG Mobile Antenna Masts GmbH is the sole supplier of guy-less mobile antenna masts with heights of up to 40 m in Europe. The masts, which have been manufactured in Salzgitter-Bad since 1974, are used around the world for disaster relief, military operations and radio and TV transmissions.

AEQUITA is an industrial group based in Munich that invests in European companies that are facing special situations such as carve-outs, succession issues or a transformation. The current portfolio, which generates total revenue of EUR 2.5bn, includes companies operating in such sectors as automotive, industrial goods, construction and building materials. With a strong capital base, its entrepreneurial expertise and mentoring approach, the AEQUITA team concentrates on acquiring companies that could benefit from the team’s involvement in their operations and building their long-term value.

With its expertise in the plant and engineering sector and in-depth understanding of the business model, Wintergerst Societät für Unternehmer-Beratung helped Salzgitter Maschinenbau AG to navigate an extremely complex transaction process. Special focus lay on the subsidiaries in India and China, which generate a large portion of the value-added and therefore make a great contribution to the group’s business value. In close cooperation with its Asian network partner, CIGP, Wintergerst was able to find a viable solution for the future for all three divisions in the form of AEQUITA, which won the international competitive bidding process.

Final closing of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, such as approval from the anti-trust authorities and the Annual General Meeting.