May 14 2007
The Stuttgart Coperion Group is getting a new owner. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG, Frankfurt, and the funds managed by that company, will buy a 100 % share in Coperion from the British associated company Lyceum Capital.
The necessary contracts have now been signed. The transaction is in place, subject to the approval of the cartel authorities. In just five years, what were formerly individually owned businesses have evolved to become one of the world’s technology and market leaders for all conditioning, compounding and extruding tasks, for bulk-material systems, service and components – the Coperion Group. The most important sales market is the plastics industry. Besides this, the food, chemicals, minerals and pharmaceutical branches are increasingly gaining in importance. Lyceum Capital, based in London, took the reins of the Coperion Group back in 2002, and built up its share to 100 % by the beginning of 2006. The Coperion Group has an international presence in all key regions of the plastics sector – in 27 countries, with eight production plants over three continents. The company currently employs around 2,100 people, 1,200 of whom work at the German sites, Stuttgart and Weingarten. Overall sales in the 2006 financial year amounted to 446 million euros (2005: 364 million euros).
Manfred Eiden, Chief Executive of the Coperion Group since September 2005, sees excellent prospects for his company. “Our many years of cooperation with Lyceum Capital were exceptionally fruitful, and we are convinced that with the DBAG, we will be able to put our strategy, with its emphasis on continuity and profitable growth, into practice seamlessly and successfully in the future, too.”
“Coperion is an extremely interesting company – it has a leading position in the market with its products, and offers excellent potential for further growth,” says Dr. Rolf Scheffels, member of the managing board of Deutsche Beteiligungs AG.
In the next few years, with Deutsche Beteiligungs AG and its managed funds at its side, Coperion wants to expand its service business, further improve its business processes and exploit the market opportunities arising as a result of the strong, growing demand for its products, particularly in Asia and the Middle East.