Hanover — NORD Holding has acquired a majority stake in Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG. The transaction was carried out with the participation of WMS Wachstumsfonds Mittelstand Sachsen. The Födisch family and the founder and CEO Dr. Holger Födisch will also remain shareholders in the company. Together with NORD Holding and WMS, the market position is to be expanded and the successful growth course of recent years is to be continued on a sustainable basis.
Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG is a leading manufacturer of emission technology for monitoring environmentally harmful gases, dust and volume flows. Areas of application are emission monitoring (CEMS: Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems), process and environmental measurement technology and recurring tests of stationary measuring equipment. The product range extends from mobile and stationary measuring devices to complete systems. The medium-sized company operates in a market environment that has been growing steadily for years, driven by global megatrends and stricter environmental regulations, and supports its more than 600 customers internationally in acting sustainably and with an eye to the future. Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG currently has over 180 employees.
“Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG is a typical example of a true hidden champion, characterized by a culture of innovation and engineering expertise. From the very beginning, we were very impressed by the company’s team spirit and technology focus as well as the entrepreneurial vision of Dr. Holger Födisch. With the partnership that has now been established, we would like to accompany this outstanding company, with our possibilities, into the next growth phase — we are looking forward to the joint future,” says Andreas Bösenberg, Managing Director of NORD Holding.
Dr. Holger Födisch, founder and board member: “After 29 years of successful and dynamic development of the company and the Födisch Group, we have actively pursued the realignment of the shareholder/participation structure. This will enable us to meet the challenges of future growth and create the basis for a further consistent orientation of the Group towards the environmental and automation technology sectors. With NORD Holding, we have now found the right partner for the implementation of our strategies, goals and visions. We look forward to the joint challenges and cooperation.”
For NORD Holding, the investment in Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG marks the third investment in the green and cleantech sector. This underpins the investment strategy of focusing on sustainability technologies and benefiting from long-term megatrends such as the need to increase resource and energy productivity and reduce pollution.
On the part of NORD Holding, the transaction was implemented by Andreas Bösenberg (photo), Martin Scheffler and Marcel Rosengarten.
The WMS already held a stake in Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG with its predecessor fund. Harald Rehberg (Managing Director WMS) on the transaction: “We are pleased to now continue to accompany the Födisch Group in partnership with our third-generation WMS. The company has developed magnificently in recent years — also thanks to its successful internationalization. We also see high momentum in the future, not least through further acquisitions in suitable segments.”
Harald Rehberg and Andreas Müller were responsible for the project at WMS Wachstumsfonds Mittelstand Sachsen.
About Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG
Founded in 1991, Dr. Födisch Umweltmesstechnik AG is a leading and independent group of companies for applications in the field of environmental, process and analysis technology. With its headquarters in Markranstädt near Leipzig as well as service and sales companies in Germany and a subsidiary in China, the company employs over 180 people. In addition to environmental, service and maintenance services, the product portfolio includes fine dust sensors, filter monitors, dust measurement concentration devices, gas analyzers and volumetric flow meters. Customers are European and non-European companies, among others from the energy, chemical, construction, and waste and disposal industries, which are supported worldwide in complying with emission limits and in monitoring various processes.
In 2018, EP Ehrler Prüftechnik Engineering GmbH (Niederstetten) was successfully integrated as a wholly owned subsidiary. EP Ehrler is a specialist in the field of flow measurement technology for air, gases and liquids and develops its own customized and at the same time technology-oriented complete solutions. www.foedisch.de
About WMS Wachstumsfonds Mittelstand Sachsen
The WMS Wachstumsfonds Mittelstand Sachsen is an initiative of the Free State of Saxony and regional credit institutions and has supported more than 30 Saxon companies in implementing their growth strategies since 2005. Since the beginning of this year, the WMS has been entering its third generation of funds. In addition to the savings banks, the investors now also include the Sächsische Aufbaubank, the Bürgschaftsbank Sachsen and the Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft. The fund will invest a further 85 million euros in Saxony’s SME sector in the coming years. www.wachstumsfonds-sachsen.de
About NORD Holding
With its 50-year history and assets under management of € 2.5 billion, NORD Holding is one of the leading private equity asset management companies in Germany. The focus is on the business areas of direct investments and fund of funds investments.
The focus of the direct business is on the structuring and financing of corporate succession models, the acquisition of group parts/subsidiaries and the expansion financing of medium-sized companies. In contrast to most other financial investors, who only manage time-limited funds, NORD Holding acts as a so-called “evergreen fund” with no time limit and invests from its own balance sheet. The company is currently involved with more than 15 companies in Germany and other German-speaking countries.