The owners of the VOGEL-BAUER Group, which specializes in the trade and processing of stainless steel products at its location in Solingen, have sold the majority of their shares to MKM Holding GmbH.
The Vogel and Mathiasen families, who own the company, will remain closely associated with the businesses through a substantial shareholding.
The merger establishes a strategic partnership between two established family businesses that will leverage their respective strengths for mutual benefit.
"We are convinced that this alliance is the best possible course of action for our company, which has been owned by the Vogel and Mathiasen families for over 80 years. Not only the securing of around 70 jobs, but also the further development of VOGEL-BAUER in cooperation with an equally well-established family business with exceptional expertise allows us to look forward to a promising future with confidence and anticipation," says Gerald Vogel, current and future shareholder and managing director, commenting on the strategic decision taken jointly by the entrepreneurial family.
"We are very much looking forward to working together and welcome VOGEL-BAUER to our group," adds Stina Vormann, managing director of MKM Holding GmbH. "VOGEL-BAUER's products and services complement our existing portfolio perfectly."
VOGEL-BAUER Edelstahl has been trading in stainless steel products and processing them since 1945. Strips made of European-manufactured, rust-, acid-, and heat-resistant steels are slit to customer-specific thicknesses, widths, and lengths. Precise surface treatments perfect the stainless steel visually and technically for special requirements: from architecture, construction, and industry to household and sanitary applications, pharmaceutical applications, medical technology, and food processing.
MK Metallfolien GmbH, another subsidiary of MKM Holding GmbH, is a German manufacturer and leading global supplier of high-quality precision and super foils made of stainless steel and special materials. The company is active in the fields of metal processing and catalyst technology and mainly serves the automotive and environmental technology sectors. With a global market share of over 40% in catalyst foils, MK Metallfolien has established itself as an important player in this niche market. In addition to its production facilities in Germany (Hagen and Schwerte), MK Metallfolien also manufactures precision strips and foils in the USA (Duncan, South Carolina) and operates a service center in China (Wujiang, near Shanghai). The export share is over 50%.
Wendelstein provided comprehensive advice to the Vogel and Mathiasen families as sellers in this transaction.
The Wendelstein team included partner Dr. Daniel Müller-Etienne (M&A/Corporate and Tax) and counsel Vanessa Trixi David (lead, M&A/Corporate), senior associate Michele Stephan (M&A/Corporate), and associates Dr. Katharina Pichler (Tax) and Judith Piperek (M&A/Corporate). The RLT team included partners Yannik Heske and Claas-Tido Risse. Axtradia (Michael Wiendl) has advised on the transaction as Corporate Finance Advisor.
Wendelstein consulted backup.legal (Dr. Jens Jensen) on labor law issues. The auditing and tax consulting firm RLT Ruhrmann Tieben & Partner mbB, with which Wendelstein worked closely, advised on the tax aspects of the transaction.
The law firm Dr. Wehberg und Partner mbB (lead partner Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yilmaz and advisors Mark Diener and Maya Bambor) acted as advisors to the MKM Group.
Wendelstein is an independent law firm located in Frankfurt, Germany. We advise on key areas of business law, with a special focus on Corporate/M&A and Dispute Resolution. Our attorneys are dedicated to outstanding legal quality and service.
Further information can be found at www.wendelstein.com.
