Baker McKenzie advised private equity group AURELIUS on the acquisition of AGFA Offset Solutions from AGFA-Gevaert NV (ISIN: BE0003755692). AGFA Offset Solutions is a leading global provider of prepress solutions for the offset printing industry. In fiscal year 2021, Agfa Offset Solutions generated sales of EUR 748 million, corresponding to a global market share of approximately 20 percent.
The acquisition was signed in August 2022 and financed by AURELIUS European Opportunities IV Fund and AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8).
The acquisition is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023.
"It was a pleasure to support AURELIUS in this exciting and complex global carve-out transaction. A key factor that we were able to contribute to the success of the transaction was certainly that we were able to support AURELIUS with our full service approach and global network in all relevant aspects of the transaction as a one-stop shop," commented Dr. Jakub Lorys, lead partner of the transaction.
The acquisition of AGFA Offset Solutions is the latest in a series of transactions in which Baker McKenzie has supported the AURELIUS Group. For example, Baker McKenzie recently advised the AURELIUS Group on the acquisition of Footasylum from JD Sports Fashion Plc (ISIN: GB00BM8Q5M07) and on the acquisition of Minova in a global carve-out transaction from Orica Limited (ISIN: AU000000ORI1).
AURELIUS is a pan-European alternative investment group with offices in London, Luxembourg, Munich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Milan and Düsseldorf. Key investment platforms are the AURELIUS European Opportunities IV Fund and the listed AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA, which acquire group spin-offs and companies with development potential in the midmarket sector. The core element of the investment strategy is the growth of the portfolio companies with a team of nearly 100 in-house operational taskforce experts.
Agfa Offset Solutions is active in more than 75 countries worldwide and supplies the offset printing industry with prepress solutions such as offset printing plates, graphic films and software. In Europe and Latin America, Agfa Offset Solutions has achieved a leading market position and is among the top players in other markets. Various production units and research & development (R&D) sites are operated worldwide with about 1,700 employees. Of these, around 130 employees work in R&D.
Baker McKenzie's Corporate/M&A team regularly advises on national and international transactions. Most recently, Baker McKenzie advised, among others, VINCI Energies S.A. on the acquisition of parts of Kontron AG, FUNKE Digital on the acquisition of Baseplus DIGITAL MEDIA GmbH, Knorr-Bremse AG on the sale of its stake in Haldex AB to SAF-Holland SE, Siemens on the sale of its Commercial Vehicles business to Meritor, Nikkiso on the sale of LEWA GmbH and Geveke B.V. to Atlas Copco, Kerry Group plc on the acquisition of c-LEcta, Celanese on the acquisition of DuPont's Mobility & Materials business, Sika AG on the acquisition of MBCC Group, Advent International on the sale of Allnex Group to PTT Global Chemical, Paragon on the sale of NovumIP to Questel Group, Embracer on the acquisition of Easybrain Limited, SAP on the sale of the SAP Digital Interconnect communications unit to Sinch AB, and Cognizant Technology Solutions on the acquisition of the ESG Mobility division from Armira Private Equity.
Legal advisor to AURELIUS:
Baker McKenzie
Lead: Corporate/M&A:
Jakub Lorys (partner, Munich)
Team:
Corporate/M&A: Tino Marz (counsel, Munich), Johannes Baier (associate, Munich), Eilin Schmidt (associate, Munich)
Commercial: Joachim Fröhlich (counsel, Munich)
Employment/Pension: Matthias Köhler (partner, Berlin), Felix Diehl (senior associate, Frankfurt), Kerstin Schmiedel (associate, Berlin)
IP/IT: Nadine Neumeier (counsel, Frankfurt), Anela Kapetanidis (associate, Frankfurt)
Real Estate: Daniel Bork (partner, Düsseldorf), Jeneka Manoharan (associate, Frankfurt)
Brasilien: Lara Schwartzmann (partner, Sao Paulo), Bruno Tavares da Silva (junior associate, Sao Paulo), Marcela Sgarbi (junior associate, Sao Paulo)
In-House AURELIUS:
Frank Forster (General Counsel)