02/01/2008 07:36:00 CET
Acquisition of 90% interest in Böhm Electronic Systems Slowakei s.r.o. for around EUR 4.3 million
Manz Automation AG, one of the world's leading producers of automation, quality assurance and laser process technology systems for the photovoltaic and LCD industry, has acquired a 90% interest in Böhm Electronic Systems Slowakei s.r.o. The company has been acquired as of February 1, 2008 for a purchase price of EUR 4.3 million. Acquiring this Slovakian engineering company has doubled Manz Automation's production and warehouse capacity, enabling it to produce entire systems in Slovakia, a low-cost location.
The company based in Nove Mesto nad Vahom (Slovakia) is a former Steag Hamatech AG production facility and currently has 270 employees. In the past, the production program focused on CD and DVD equipment for the former parent company, as well as job-order production for Manz Automation and additional international customers from the semiconductor industry. Böhm recorded revenues of more than EUR 45 million in fiscal year 2007. After the completion of the acquisition the Slovakian company will take over parts of the significantly grown production for Manz Automation. This includes the production and processing of complete systems, including procuring the components and taking the systems into operation. The acquisition of Böhm Electronic Systems Slowakie s.r.o. means that the Manz Group has an additional 11,400 m² of assembly and warehouse space, of which around 1,300 m² is for cleanroom assembly, with an additional 3,800 m² of office space.
Dieter Manz, Manz Automation's CEO, is very pleased with the successful transaction: "After our acquisition of Christian Majer GmbH & Co. KG in December 2007, this is the second successful acquisition in our company's recent history. We are thus fulfilling the conditions required to implement our ambitious plans for growth – as we now have additional production and warehouse capacity as well as access to more than 200 experienced, excellently trained specialist employees, technicians and engineers." Further acquisitions to expand technology and capacity are planned for the current fiscal year in view of the surging order intake.
