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CMS advises Austrotherm, part of Schmid Industrieholding, on planned acquisition of Etex’s XPS business in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain

31 Aug 2026 International 5 min read
Cross-border CMS team provides comprehensive legal advice on the proposed acquisition of production and commercial activities in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain

The proposed transaction, which would be subject to customary approvals and conditions, including regulatory clearances, encompasses the extruded polystyrene (XPS) manufacturing and commercial activities currently operated under the URSA brand at four production sites: Bondeno in Italy, El Pla in Spain, Queis in Germany and Saint-Avold in France. It also includes associated commercial activities serving customers across Western and Central Europe.

The contemplated acquisition represents an important milestone in Austrotherm’s long-term growth strategy and would represent an expansion of its existing production network for XPS insulation materials and highly complementary addition to its existing XPS platform and a strong basis for further long-term development. Furthermore, it would accelerate Austrotherm's ambitions to reduce CO₂ emissions across its European production sites, including through investments in XPS recycling technology and the transition towards recycled raw materials, in line with the EU's climate targets under the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package.

Alexander Rakosi, Partner Corporate M&A at CMS Vienna and lead partner of the international CMS team, comments: “We are pleased to accompany Austrotherm/Schmid Industrieholding on this strategically significant project. A multi-jurisdictional acquisition with distinct local legal and operational specifics requires in-depth substantive expertise as well as the precise coordination of numerous legal and operational workstreams. The transaction underscores the strength of our international CMS M&A practice and our ability to deliver integrated advice on projects of this scale and complexity.”

The international CMS team led by the core transactions team of Alexander Rakosi (Partner, Corporate/M&A), Marie-Christine Lidl (Counsel, Corporate/M&A) and Felix Kasseroler (Associate, Corporate/M&A) comprised multidisciplinary experts from CMS offices in Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy and France.

The Schmid Industrieholding (SIH) team is led by Franz Forstik (Head of M&A, SIH) and Stefan Führer (General Counsel, SIH).
 

CMS Austria core team:
Alexander Rakosi, Lead Partner | Corporate/M&A 
Marie-Christine Lidl, Counsel | Corporate/M&A 
Felix Kasseroler, Associate | Corporate/M&A  

CMS Austria additional team members: 
Anna Hiegelsperger, Lawyer | Corporate/M&A  
Yara Al-Harbi, Associate | Corporate/M&A 
Ismail Elmursajev, Associate | Banking & Finance  
Valentin Ölz, Associate | Corporate/M&A 
Oliver Werner, Partner | Compliance  

CMS Germany core team:  
Heike Wagner, Lead Partner | Corporate/M&A 
Tobias Kilian, Lead, Principal Counsel | Corporate/M&A 
Reiner Thieme, Senior Associate | Corporate/M&A 

CMS Germany additional team members: 
Carsten Menebröcker, Partner | Intellectual Property 
Lisa Hermann, Senior Associate | Labor, Employment & Pensions 
Lydia Margarethe Blaseio, Senior Associate | Public Law & Procurement 
Claudia Böhmer, Counsel | Intellectual Property  
Carsten Domke, Partner | Labor, Employment & Pensions 
Jonas Hötzel, Senior Associate | Labor, Employment & Pensions 

Carsten Menebröcker, Partner | Geistiges Eigentum
Lisa Hermann, Senior Associate | Arbeitsrecht
Lydia Margarethe Blaseio, Senior Associate | Öffentliches Recht und Vergaberecht
Claudia Böhmer, Counsel | Intellectual Property
Carsten Domke, Partner | Arbeitsrecht 
Jonas Hötzel, Senior Associate | Arbeitsrecht

Team CMS Italy: 
Daniela Murer, Lead Partner | Corporate/M&A 
Alessandra Cuni, Counsel | Corporate Governance  
Edoardo Pallardo, Associate/Corporate/M&A 

CMS Italy additional team members: 
Paolo Scarduelli, Partner | FDI  
Massimo Alpigiani, Counsel | FDI 
Alessandra Boati, Counsel | Employment 
Pasquale Distefano, Senior Associate | Data Protection 
Martina Bignone, Senior Associate | Compliance  

CMS Spain core team:
Elena Alcazar, Lead Partner | Corporate/M&A  
Luis Miguel DeDios, Lead Partner | Corporate/ M&A 
Alejandro Rodríguez Taboada, Lawyer | Commercial Law 

CMS Spain additional team members: 
María Peña Blasco, Lawyer | Intellectual Property    
Juan Egea Díaz, Lawyer | Labor, Employment & Pensions   
Tomás Herrero Pina, Lawyer | Intellectual Property    
Ana López Bermejo Lawyer, | Public Law 
Ricardo Héctor Lorca, Partner | Tax  
Claudia Padilla Hernández, Lawyer | Tax 
Lola Emily Reeder, Lawyer | Commercial Law 
Borja Reig Diaz Casariego, Lawyer | Commercial Law 
Álvaro Suárez López, Laywer | Real Estate 
Borja Vázquez, Counsel | Banking & Finance  

Team CMS France core team:  
Benoît Gomel, Lead Partner | Corporate/M&A 
Alice Evano, Lead associate | Corporate/M&A 
Vincent Desbenoit, Associate | Corporate/M&A  
Aurélie Parchet, Counsel | Labor, Employment & Pensions   

CMS France additional team members: 
Claude Kaneda, Associate | Commercial Law 
Elisa Vignier, Associate | Labor, Employment & Pensions   
Florence Duprat-Cerri, Counsel | Labor, Employment & Pensions 
Guillaume Roche, Associate | Tax 
Jean-Baptiste Thiénot, Partner | Intellectual Property 
Marie-Salomé Desbats, Associate | Intellectual Property 
Thomas Bos, Associate | Banking & Finance  
Audrey Pichon-Varesio, Associate | Public Law 
Candice Barreiro, Associate | Intellectual Property  

About Austrotherm 

Austrotherm is one of Europe's most renowned insulation specialists and has been family-owned since its foundation in Austria in 1953. The Austrotherm Group operates 34 production sites in 14 countries and employs approximately 1,500 people. Austrotherm is recognized as a pioneer in EPS and XPS insulation and maintains a strong strategic focus on energy-efficient and sustainable insulation solutions. Austrotherm is part of the Schmid Industrie Holding group, which employs around 6,800 people. 

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