CMS advises HANNOVER Finanz Group on investment in WIDOS

Stuttgart – Private equity firm HANNOVER Finanz is the new majority shareholder in WIDOS Wilhelm Dommer Söhne GmbH, an engineering company based in Ditzingen near Stuttgart and Grüna near Chemnitz. The HANNOVER Finanz Group is acquiring a total of 80% of the shares. The minority shareholder, with 10%, is SME financier FINEXX. As part of the transaction, minority shareholders in the US subsidiary will exit the company. CEOs Jürgen Dommer and Dr Kai Dombrowski are retaining a stake in the company and together hold 10%. The purchase price was not disclosed. The transaction is expected to complete in mid-July 2017.

A CMS team headed by M&A partner Dr Claus-Peter Fabian and Peter Hocke advised the HANNOVER Finanz Group on all legal aspects of the investment. The transaction sees family-owned WIDOS securing the company’s succession, with the aim now being to continue pursuing growth through international expansion and acquisitions.

WIDOS was established by the Dommer family in 1946 and is now a leading developer and manufacturer of plastic welding technology and equipment. Its products are sold through a worldwide network of dealers. In addition to standard and special-purpose machinery, the product portfolio also includes plant engineering for pipe manufacturers. The company’s machinery is used for various types of piping, including gas, water and mining.

Since its formation in 1979, the HANNOVER Finanz Group has successfully completed more than 200 equity capital partnerships and invested more than EUR 1.5 billion in medium-sized companies in the German-speaking countries. The typical reasons for taking an equity interest are to provide growth finance and resolve succession issues in medium-sized enterprises with annual sales in excess of EUR 20 million. The investors are primarily insurance companies or occupational pension schemes. In addition to majority stakes, the HANNOVER Finanz Group also acquires minority interests.

Inhouse at HANNOVER Finanz GmbH

Dr Christina Silberberger, General Counsel/Partner

CMS Hasche Sigle

Dr Claus-Peter Fabian, Partner
Peter Hocke, Counsel, both Lead
Dr Elena Mackh, Associate
Shabana Alam Yar, Paralegal, all M&A/Corporate
Dr Michael Rein, Senior Associate, Employment
Dr Stefan Voß, Partner, Real Estate
Dr Marc Seibold, Partner
Dr Andreas Grunert, Senior Associate, both Financing
Quarles & Brady LLP, Chicago
Andre Fiebig, Partner

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