Schwarzmüller Group sells stake in Krone Group
Freinberg (Austria)/ Munich — The management consultancy Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P), which specializes in family businesses, has advised the Paletar family, owners of the Schwarzmüller Group, on the sale of a stake to the Krone Group (Bernard Krone Holding SE & Co. KG) as part of a strategic alliance. Schwarzmüller, European manufacturer of special vehicles in the commercial vehicle sector (around € 500 million turnover), is bringing its production sites in Germany, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria under the umbrella of the Krone Commercial Vehicle Group as part of the industrial partnership.
Beate Paletar (photo© Schwarzmüller Group), owner of the Schwarzmüller Group, also emphasizes the importance of the transaction: “W&P initiated and prepared the partnership with the Krone Group in the best possible way and thus made an important contribution to strengthening Schwarzmüller”. Supported by expertise from Krone, the Schwarzmüller Group will continue to operate under the existing management. Approval of the investment by the antitrust authorities is expected in the near future.
W&P’s Christan Groschupp, Partner Debt & Capital Advisory, Philippe Piscol, Partner M&A, and Dr.-Ing. Dirk Artelt, Managing Partner Industrial Goods, played a key role in the transaction: “The trusting relationship between two traditional family businesses is the starting point for a strong partnership ‚” says Christian Groschupp. The Schwarzmüller Group brands will continue to operate independently in order to maintain an individual customer approach.
Schwarzmüller Group
The Schwarzmüller Group is the largest European niche supplier of trailers and bodies. The company builds more than 150 vehicle types with the aim of guaranteeing its customers added value in the application. In its long history since 1871, Schwarzmüller has become the leading specialist for individual transportation solutions. With vehicle types of the two brands Schwarzmüller and Hüffermann, the group supplies the construction industry, infrastructure companies, the raw materials and recyclables industry and long-distance transport companies in 20 countries.
KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group
With 60,000 units produced, the KRONE Commercial Vehicle Group is a major European manufacturer of trailers and semi-trailers for the transportation industry and sees itself as a comprehensive mobility consultant. The Emsland-based family business covers the most important segments in road freight transport with its product range. At six plant locations with around 3,500 employees, the KRONE GROUP’s commercial vehicle division has developed significant core competencies in the fields of digitalization, automation, sustainability and electrification, in addition to its production expertise in semi-trailers, axles and swap systems. The sales volume in the segment, which is made up of product and service sales, amounts to over EUR 2 billion (as at 2022/2023).
Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner
Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner (W&P) is the leading cross-industry top management consultancy for family businesses. She specializes in the entrepreneurial fields of strategy, digital transformation, business performance and restructuring & corporate finance, which also includes (distressed) M&A. From its offices in Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart and Düsseldorf, Dr. Wieselhuber & Partner offers its clients comprehensive industry and methodological expertise with the aim of sustainably and permanently increasing the growth and competitiveness, profitability and enterprise value of its clients. www.wieselhuber.de