H.I.G.-Backed Losberger Acquires Container Specialist GRAEFF
HAMBURG – August 1, 2012 – Losberger GmbH (“Losberger”), an H.I.G. Europe portfolio company headquartered in Bad Rappenau, Germany, acquired the assets of GRAEFF Container und Hallenbau GmbH to further strengthen its position in the market for temporary space solutions.
Located in Mannheim in Baden-Württemberg and Lübars in Saxony Anhalt, Germany, GRAEFF develops, produces, sells or leases steel halls (i.e. for production or warehousing), pavilions (offices, sales outlets) and containers (accommodation, sanitary and workshop containers). The products of GRAEFF can be combined in various ways. They can be arranged to form production halls with attached office complex, or to form schools and kindergardens with gyms and sanitary facilities. In 2011, the company generated revenues of about €48m and had 85 employees.
In March 2012, GRAEFF filed for bankruptcy, whereupon H.I.G. presented the insolvency administrator with a superior proposal to acquire the business and continue its operations under the newly founded GRAEFF Container GmbH. The majority of jobs at GRAEFF have been saved in the course of the transaction.
Berndt H. Zoepffel, CEO of Losberger, commented: “I am delighted about the acquisition of GRAEFF, as the complementary product range and the strong brand name of GRAEFF open up many opportunities for Losberger. At the same time, the Losberger Group offers excellent prospects for the future of GRAEFF and its employees.”
“The management and H.I.G. are committed to the strategic objective of becoming the world’s leader in temporary space solutions through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The acquisition of GRAEFF represents an important step on our way to realize our growth strategy, with more to follow,” says Dr. Klaas Reineke, Director at H.I.G. and chairman of the board of the Losberger Group.
About GRAEFF
GRAEFF Container und Hallenbau GmbH develops containers and steel halls from prefabricated components to be used in various applications for municipalities as well as trade, retail and industry facilities. GRAEFF has been headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, since its founding almost fifty years ago and has, next to its site in Mannheim, a second production plant located in Lübars, Saxony Anhalt. National sales offices in all major economic regions of Germany as well as at international locations ensure appropriate sales consulting and immediate support for its customers. www.graeff-gmbh.de
About Losberger Group
Losberger is a global leader in the development, production, sale and leasing of temporary tent and hall systems. The tents with span-widths of up to fifty meters are used for exhibitions, major events, company events, product presentations, retail, municipal facilities and temporary airport terminals. In its industrial segment, Losberger sells and leases various system halls predominantly used as storage, production and sales area. For military and human aid purposes, Losberger sells tent and hall systems that are easy to transport and can be quickly set up. These include inflatable structures, group tents, sanitary facilities and special halls and hangars for the storage of technical and military devices. With its stock of tents and halls of about 650,000 square meters, Losberger is one of the leading worldwide providers of mobile halls and tent systems for rent. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered near Heilbronn, Germany. Including its subsidiaries in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Hungary, China and the US, Losberger has about 650 employees. www.losbergergroup.com
About H.I.G. Capital
H.I.G. Capital is a leading global private equity investment firm with more than €8.5 billion of equity capital under management. Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Paris and Rio de Janeiro, H.I.G. specializes in providing capital to small and medium-sized companies with revenues ranging between €30 and €500 million. H.I.G. invests in management-led buyouts and recapitalizations of profitable and well managed manufacturing or service businesses. H.I.G. also has extensive experience with financial restructurings and operational turnarounds. Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. invested in and managed more than 200 companies worldwide. The firm’s current portfolio includes more than 80 companies with combined revenues in excess of €12 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.hig.com.
With 21 new investments in Europe since the beginning of 2011, H.I.G. is one of the most active private equity investors in Europe.