CMS advises on acquisition of three Romanian companies from an international bank consortium

Cologne – German private investor Thomas Manns has acquired the business activities of three insolvent operational companies from an international bank consortium via Astra Rail Industries Srl., a newly established Romanian company.

With approximately 1,500 employees, production capacity of around 5,000 freight trains and production facilities covering more than 350,000 sq m, the business operations of Astra Rail Industries make the company one of the largest manufacturers of railway trucks in Europe.

A team led by M&A partner Klaus Jäger of CMS Hasche Sigle advised the private investor on all legal and tax aspects of the cross-border transaction. The transaction was highly complex due to the many different national jurisdictions involved (Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland and the UK). In addition, it was necessary to reflect and reconcile the sometimes divergent interests of the many participants (previous owner, insolvency administrator, members of the bank consortium, investor).

Klaus Jäger previously provided advice to Thomas Manns in 2008 on the sale of commercial vehicle rental company PEMA to Société Générale.

Advisers CMS, Germany

Klaus Jäger, Corporate, M&A, Lead Partner
Dr Hagen Weishaupt, Corporate, M&A
Dr Malte Bruhns, Corporate, M&A
Dr Angela Emmert, Labor, Employment & Pensions
Dr Thomas Link, Tax
Marcus Fischer, Tax
Jan Peter Weiland, Banking & Finance

Advisers CMS, The Netherlands

Eduard Scheenstra, Banking & Finance
Mark Ziekman, Corporate, M&A
Gordon Tichelaar, Notary
Duco Postma, Corporate
Gilbert Joskin, Tax

Advisers CMS, Luxembourg

Vivian Walry, Corporate
Franck Farjaudon, IP

Advisers CMS, Switzerland

Christian Gersbach, Labor, Employment & Pensions
Dr Miryam Meile, Social Security Law
Dr Stefan Brunnschweiler, Corporate
Margrit Marti, Corporate

Advisers CMS, UK

Pranav Yajnik, Labor, Employment & Pensions and Social Security Law

Romanian partner firm (Musat & Partners)

Gelu Maravela, Corporate, M&A
Alina Popescu, Corporate, M&A
Andrei Georgescu, IP Rights
Ionut Bohalteanu, Tax
Iulian Iosif, Corporate
Marius Patrascanu, Banking & Finance
and others.

Ensight Management Consulting, Romania

Roland Teufel
Harald Ditter
Mihaela Danalache

Bank consortium lawyers

Simmons & Simmons, Netherlands:
Christiaan Zijderveld, Banking, Lead Partner
Robin van Driel, Banking
Floris de Ruiter, Corporate

Romanian law

PeliFilip:
Alexandru Birsan, Corporate, Lead Partner
Alexandra Manciulea, Corporate
and others.

Press Contact
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