An Affiliate of H.I.G. Europe Backs MBO of Anvis Group
HAMBURG, GERMANY – December 3, 2010 – H.I.G. Europe, the European advisor to H.I.G. Capital, announced today that one of its affiliates, in partnership with Olaf Hahn, Anvis Group’s longstanding CEO, had successfully completed the acquisition of Anvis B.V., a worldwide leading automotive supplier of anti-vibration systems from Arques Industries AG. Funding for the transaction was provided by H.I.G.
Anvis, based in Germany, is a leading provider of critical, highly engineered anti-vibration products that are produced in nine sites worldwide and are indispensable for advanced driving dynamics, comfort and road safety. In addition to the automotive sector, Anvis also has a leading position in the railway and energy/utility sectors. Anvis’s management sees future potential particularly in diverse manufacturing industries and in relation to new propulsion concepts in the automotive sector, i.e. sensitive electric vehicles, which require a high level of vibration management. In 2010, Anvis Group will generate revenues of over EUR 250 million.
“With H.I.G. Europe, Anvis has found the long-term partner, with deep financial resources and industry knowledge we were seeking. This is a key step allowing us to concentrate on growth and sustainable strengthening of our earnings power,” commented Olaf Hahn, who will continue to lead the group as its CEO. “H.I.G. is pleased to support Anvis Group by providing the right balance of operational expertise, international network and financial prowess the company requires to continue building on its leading market position,” added Wolfgang Biedermann, Managing Director at H.I.G. European Capital Partners GmbH, the German advisor to funds managed by H.I.G. Capital.
About Anvis Group
The Anvis Group, founded in 2000 by Woco and Michelin AVS, is a developer and manufacturer of innovative solutions for driving dynamics, comfort and road safety. The Anvis Group is represented in Europe, America, Asia and South Africa at 9 production sites and additional sales locations.
The company’s services cover the entire anti-vibration system process chain from the concept to the production line stage. The Anvis Group product range includes chassis components, aggregate suspension, exhaust system hangers as well as decoupling elements and mass dampers. Apart from the automobile industry (e.g. Volkswagen, Renault, Peugeot/Citroën, Daimler and Ford), the company’s customers include the railway industry and other industrial sectors where oscillation and noise reduction systems are used. Ever since its founding days, the group maintains a comprehensive R&D program supported by 120 engineers, responsible for numerous product innovations and filed patents.
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, New York, and San Francisco in the U.S., as well as affiliate offices in London, Hamburg and Paris in Europe, H.I.G. specializes in providing capital to small and medium-sized companies with attractive growth potential. 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 50 companies with combined revenues in excess of $8 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.hig.com.