2 July 2021

William Blair and BDA advise STS on its sale to Adler Pelzer Group

a portfolio company of

divested majority stake to

2021

BDA is pleased to announce that Mutares SE & Co. KGaA (“Mutares”), a listed private equity holding company, has successfully completed the sale of its 73.25% stake in STS Group AG (“STS”). STS develops, manufactures, and supplies interior & exterior components made of plastics or composite materials to the commercial vehicle industry in Germany and internationally. The sale of the group included business operations of Plastics and Materials in Europe, China, and the US.

Adler Pelzer Group had purchased the Acoustics Division of STS in 2020. The company will become part of the Adler Pelzer Plastics division in the future. BDA, in conjunction with its partner William Blair, advised STS on the transaction. 

STS Group AG had been part of the Mutares Group since 2013 and successfully completed a turnaround following a buy-and-build strategy. The IPO of STS Group AG took place in 2018, after which Mutares remained the main shareholder. In financial year 2020, STS Group generated revenues of €235m and EBITDA of €14.7m. The transaction includes the full 73.25% stake in STS Group AG held by Mutares.

“With the sale of STS, Mutares has once again achieved its target of a return on invested capital and our shareholders will participate in this success. I am also convinced that we are handing over STS Group to the best possible new owner,” says Robin Laik, CEO and founder of Mutares SE & Co. KGaA.

“The Adler Pelzer Group takes a further step for growth with the integration of Hard Trim to be combined with our competence in Soft Trim and Acoustics, adding a complementary product range to our Group in the automotive market of Light Vehicles, Vans and Heavy Truck,” commented Pietro Lardini, CEO of Adler Pelzer Group.
 
Jonathan Aiken, Managing Director, BDA, said, “We are happy to have advised STS on the sale of its majority stake. This transaction highlights BDA’s continuing strength in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors.”
 
Jeffrey Wang, Partner, BDA, said, “STS continues to grow rapidly in key markets, notably in China. We congratulate Adler Pelzer on their acquisition, and we look forward to STS’s continued success under new ownership.”

Deal team

About STS Group AG

STS provides Hard Trim Plastics Solutions mainly in Europe, China and Mexico, with an expansion opportunity in the USA. The products, body and structural parts made of plastics and composites, painted or not, are delivered as single parts or as subassemblies today mainly to Heavy Duty Truck OEMs and passenger vehicle OEMs. The technology and the processes are well adapted to smaller series new energy vehicles. www.sts.group

About Mutares SE & Co. KGaA

Mutares focuses on the acquisition of parts of large corporations (carve-outs) and medium-sized companies in transitional situations. Mutares focuses on European companies with high operational development potential that already have an established business model often combined with a strong brand. The focus is on companies with revenues of €100m to €500m. mutares.de/en/company

About Adler Pelzer Group

Adler Pelzer Group is a worldwide leader in design, engineering and manufacturing of acoustic and thermal components & systems for the automotive sector. With key value-added activities in-house, we deliver components optimizing acoustic performance and increasing thermal efficiency of vehicles. Headquartered in Hagen, Germany, Adler Pelzer Group have built a network of manufacturing plants, research and design facilities close to the main automotive hubs in the major geographic regions, in more than 80 locations with over 11,000 employees worldwide and sales of €1.17bn in 2020. The company is owned by Italy-based Adler Plastic. www.adlerpelzer.com

About BDA Partners

BDA Partners has almost 25 years’ experience advising on cross-border M&A, capital raising, and financial restructuring. We provide global reach with our teams in New York and London, and true regional depth through our seven Asian offices in Mumbai, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo. BDA has deep expertise in Automotive and Industrials; Chemicals; Consumer & Retail; Health; Technology; and Services sectors. We work relentlessly to earn our clients’ trust by delivering insightful advice and outstanding outcomes.

BDA Partners has strategic partnerships with William Blair, a premier global investment banking business, and with DBJ (Development Bank of Japan), a Japanese government-owned bank with US$150bn of assets.

US securities transactions are performed by BDA Partners’ affiliate, BDA Advisors Inc., a broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). BDA Advisors Inc. is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and SIPC. In the UK, BDA Partners is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In Hong Kong, BDA Partners (HK) Ltd. is licensed and regulated by the Securities & Futures Commission (SFC) to conduct Type 1 and Type 4 regulated activities to professional investors. www.bdapartners.com

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