DBAG acquires Brötje-Automation

Diana Petrowicz
16 January 2012

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Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) has taken over industrial machinery provider Brötje-Automation from CLAAS Group for an undisclosed amount.

The investment was made from DBAG Fund V and DBAG's management. Following the transaction the fund will be 75% drawn. DBAG is planning to invest about €6m from its balance sheet in the company.

Brötje is looking to expand into the Chinese and Russian market and is also planning to transfer its competency to other products such as equipment for the wind energy sector.

Debt
A debt structure was provided for the transaction but details were not disclosed.

Company
Brötje-Automation was founded in 1979 as a subsidiary of heating producer August Brötje and became part of CLAAS in 2002, generating about 3% of the group's turnover. The firm is a developer and producer of machines and complete lines for the automated production of aircraft.

It employs 350 people and is based in Wiefelstede. Additionally it runs a production site in Jaderberg and has sales offices in the US and China. It is also active in the French and Spanish market through a majority holding in Airbus Toulouse. Brötje's turnover is expected to exceed €80m in the 2011/12 financial year. About 60% of revenues are generated by machines and complete lines for the automated manufacturing of aircraft fuselage.

People
Rolf Scheffels, Jannick Hunecke, Frederic Dovi-Akue, Zhengyu Hu and Ludger Kramer worked on the deal for DBAG.

Advisers
Equity – E&Y, Wolfgang Taudte, Sebastian Frucht (Financial due diligence); CMS, Hendrik Hirsch, Bernhard Maierhofer, Petra Brenner (Legal); SJ Berwin, Tilman Siebert, Kathrin Lübbe-Späth (Legal); Booz & Co, Niklas Hoppe (Commercial due diligence); URS, Jan Strassenburg, Erik Artmann (Environmental due diligence); Funk Gruppe, Regina Schach, Angelika Seebohm (Insurance due diligence); Susanne Brinkmann (Debt).