News

C.H.Reynolds successfully advises HTE on the disposal of Gautschi
5th Mar 2010

C.H.Reynolds Corporate Finance AG announced today that it advised Hochtemperatur Engineering GmbH (HTE) on the sale of Gautschi Engineering GmbH to EBNER Group in an all-share transaction. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Gautschi's former parent, Hochtemperatur Engineering GmbH (HTE) is a portfolio company of Deutsche Beteiligungs AG, based in Frankfurt am Main. HTE was formed in 2002 as a holding group for the engineering businesses of Austria's RHI AG, the world leader for fireproof furnace products. The Gautschi sale, effective retroactively from January 1, 2010, completes a programme of strategic disposals of the nine different companies
originally acquired from RHI. The team of C.H.Reynolds led by Philipp v. Hochberg had already advised HTE on the disposal of Z&J Technologies in 2006.

Gautschi offers turn-key industry furnaces for thermo-process technology procedures in the aluminium industry. Major aluminium producers worldwide are amongst Gautschi's customers. The "Gautschi" brand is well known and stands for high quality worldwide. The company, formed after a demerger from German-based Maerz Industrieofenanlagen GmbH in 2008, is based in Constance, with a branch in Tägerwilen (Switzerland) and a 100% subsidiary in Beijing, China.

Commenting on the transaction, Ronald Elgert, CEO of HTE GmbH said, "The C.H.Reynolds team demonstrated a profound understanding of our complex plant engineering business. The professionalism and commitment of the team were integral factors in the successful completion of this deal."

EBNER Group, of which EBNER Industrieofenbau Leonding is part, is an Austrian family-owned business and is a leading supplier of heat treatment equipment in the metals industry worldwide. For EBNER, the acquisition of Gautschi marks the latest step in its growth strategy and of widening its product and service portfolio in liquid metal furnaces. Gautschi will continue to operate as an independent brand within the EBNER Group. EBNER as a financially strong group with long-term strategy and global approach offers the best conditions for a successful further development.

Philipp v. Hochberg, partner at C.H.Reynolds who led the team advising HTE said, "We are pleased to have made a contribution to the successful future of the company and its employees through the sale of Gautschi Engineering GmbH to EBNER."

For more information, please contact:
Philipp v. Hochberg, Partner Industrial Technology
Markus Kluge, Senior Associate
Tel.: +49 69 97 40 30 - 0
Email: office@chrcf.com