Baker McKenzie advised the two owners of ARGO-HYTOS Group ("ARGO-HYTOS"), Christian Kienzle and FSP CAPCELLENCE, on selling 79.5% of the shares in ARGO-HYTOS to Voith Group ("Voith"). ARGO-HYTOS, based in Baar, Switzerland, develops and produces components for hydraulics and system solutions with a focus on the off-highway sector (agricultural tractors, construction equipment and material-handling vehicles). A corresponding agreement between the parties was signed on 6 June 2022.
By combining the competencies and resources of both Voith and ARGO-HYTOS, ARGO-HYTOS will focus on the joint development of customer solutions in the megatrend areas of electrification, digitalization and sustainability. ARGO-HYTOS will continue as an independent brand with the addition of "a Voith Company." The further participation of the two previous owners sends a strong signal that ARGO-HYTOS will consistently and continuously pursue its successful path in a new ownership structure.
The deal is expected to be completed by August 2022, subject to certain regulatory approvals. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.
The ARGO-HYTOS Group is a component and system supplier that services customers in the field of mobile working machinery and general mechanical engineering. The family business, with more than 1,600 employees, has more than 70 years of experience in fluid and motion control and filtration technology in mobile and industrial hydraulics. ARGO-HYTOS has become an innovation leader, particularly in the area of mobile hydraulics.
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of plants, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the energy, paper, raw materials, and transport and automotive markets. Founded in 1867, today Voith has around 20,000 employees and earns EUR 4.3 billion in sales. It has locations in more than 60 countries and is one of Europe's major family-owned companies.
The Baker McKenzie team was led by Alexander Fischer (partner, M&A, Switzerland) together with Eva Kriechbaumer (associate, M&A, Switzerland) and Matthias Trautmann (counsel, M&A, Switzerland) and was made up of the following colleagues:
- Samuel Marbacher (partner, Banking and Finance, Switzerland), Alexander Blaeser (partner, M&A, Switzerland), Markus Wolf (associate, Banking and Finance, Switzerland), Roger Thomi (associate, Antitrust/Administrative, Switzerland), Nadine Bosshard (associate, Intellectual Property and Technology Law, Switzerland), Sammy Guidoum (associate, Banking and Finance, Switzerland), Boris Wenger (partner, Antitrust/Administrative, Switzerland), Sandra Marmy (associate, Intellectual Property and Technology Law, Switzerland), Geraldine Messmer (associate, Intellectual Property and Technology Law, Switzerland), Andreas Becker (associate, Litigation/Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Switzerland), Vinzenz Sutter (associate, Real Estate and Property Development Law, Switzerland), Eric Schreiner (paralegal, Intellectual Property and Technology Law, Switzerland), Hayley Ryerson, Anna Bachmann and Anja Keller (all trainee lawyers Switzerland)
- Willem Jan Treuren (associate, Corporate Reorganizations, Amsterdam), Florian Fehres (legal director, Corporate, Amsterdam) and Alexis Gavriilidis (associate, Corporate, Amsterdam)
- Stephen Royle (legal project manager, Business Development, Belfast)
- Ulrich Hennings (partner, M&A, Berlin), Matthias Koehler (partner, Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits, Berlin) and Kerstin Schmiedel (associate, Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits, Berlin)
- Robert Willson (paralegal, M&A, Chicago), Elizabeth Ebersole (partner, Employment and Compensation, Chicago), Bridget Doyle (associate, Corporate and Securities, Chicago) and Jonathan Susko (associate, Corporate and Securities, Chicago)
- Rebecca Romig (associate, Commercial, Frankfurt); Charlie Wong (associate, M&A, Hong Kong)
- Asli Caglar (associate, M&A, Istanbul) and Irmak Aybarturk (associate, M&A, Istanbul)
- Roman Ishmukhametov (associate, Corporate, St. Petersburg)
- Andrew Burleigh (associate, Energy, Chemical, Mining and Infrastructure Group, London)
- Arianna Ferri (associate, M&A, Milan)
- Joachim Froehlich (counsel, Commercial, Munich), Viktoria Ritter (associate, Tax, Munich) and Johannes Baier (associate, M&A, Munich)
- Samantha Chavane De Dalmassy (associate, M&A, Paris)
- Tomas Skoumal (partner, M&A, Prague), Petra Jilgova-Benesova (associate, M&A, Prague), Vlastimil Kreysa (associate, Employment and Compensation, Prague), Marek Disman (associate, Real Estate and Property Development Law, Prague), Michal Simcina (associate, M&A, Prague), Dusan Hlavaty (associate, M&A, Prague), Michaela Sturmova (paralegal, Corporate, Prague), Jonas Kozak (associate, Banking and Finance, Prague), Jan Venc (associate, Litigation/Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Prague) and Timoteus Hudcovic (associate, M&A, Prague)
- Sarah Swain (associate, Banking and Finance, San Francisco) and Zachary Reeves (associate, Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits, San Francisco)
- Luis Zhang (counsel, Tax, FenXun Partners) and Julien Wang (associate, M&A, FenXun Partners)
- Jens Isakzon (associate, Trade and Commerce, Stockholm)
- Pawel Jaros (associate, M&A, Warsaw) and Anna Pawluczuk (trainee lawyer, Warsaw)