Along with the management, Gimv is taking over the German WEMAS from NORD Holding, which has held a majority stake since 2011. Gimv is acquiring a significant majority, while the balance will be held by the company’s management team under the leadership of CEO Markus Schwinn. Next to growing its core business in the DACH-region, WEMAS wants to expand into adjacent road safety markets and further grow its international business.
WEMAS Absperrtechnik GmbH (www.wemas.de) was established in 1971 and has grown into a full-range provider of certified passive mobile road safety equipment, including protective barriers, delineators, base plates, warning lamps and traffic cones. The company supplies both wholesalers and roadwork safety service providers serving the road safety, infrastructure and construction markets, predominantly in the DACH-region.
The company operates in a growing market. WEMAS is well placed to benefit from this growth thanks to its innovative and high-quality product and value-added service offering, including the highest number of certified road safety products in the industry and a wide range of customised products.
WEMAS is located in Gütersloh (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany), where most of the products are made. With more than 120 employees, it serves more than 1000 clients thus realizing a turnover of EUR 33.7 million (2016). In the coming years, the company intends to further grow its passive mobile safety business in DACH and internationally. Moreover, the company wants to explore further growth into adjacent road safety market segments, potentially through acquisitions.
Markus Schwinn, CEO of WEMAS Absperrtechnik, explains: “I am looking forward to bringing WEMAS to the next level with the help of Gimv, a partner with a strong track record as growth investor. This collaboration will enable us to speed up the growth trajectory of our company.”
Ruben Monballieu, Principal in the Gimv Sustainable Cities Platform, continues: “Increasing traffic, growing investments in road infrastructure and safety concerns drive the need for safety products. WEMAS is well positioned to capture growth in the road safety market thanks to its fully integrated value chain and its focus on product innovation and value added services.”
“We are proud that Gimv can use its network and its experience in building leading companies to co-shape the future of WEMAS together with the company’s ambitious and entrepreneurial management team. With this fourth investment in the DACH-region over the past twelve months, Gimv once again underlines its ambition to further build its franchise in the region,” adds Sven Oleownik, Head of Gimv Germany.
The transaction is subject to the approval by the competition authorities. No further financial details of the transaction will be announced.
