In play: M&A update

Want an update on who bought whom, who wants to be bought? Read on in this roundup of recent mergers and acquisitions within the pipe and profile extrusion market.

* HTI acquires Theysohn Group

HTI High Tech Industries AG (St. Marien, Austria) has acquired 100% of the Theysohn Group (Korneuburg, Austria), a leading manufacturer of extrusion equipment for processing of plastic pipes, profiles and sheets, from the previous owners, co-managing directors Rudolf Zahradnik and Siegfried Topf. In 2007 the Theysohn Group had revenue of approximately euro 56 million.

HTI High Tech Industries is a holding company with four segments. The three core industrial segments plastics, metal and mechanical engineering include majority interests in these industries. The fourth segment ‘other’ holds minority interests in other business fields.

Its plastics division supplies injection molded parts for a wide variety of industries including automotive and aeronautic, with processing facilities in Austria, Germany, Great Britain and Slovakia, and a U.S.-based warehouse for automotive customers.

HTI was among the firms believed to have shown interest in purchasing fellow Austrian firm Battenfeld Injection Molding, which was acquired by auxiliary equipment manufacturer Wittmann www.modplas.com/inc/mparticle.php?section=eweekly&thefilename=eweekly03012008_25

* Intek buys Elite

Intek Plastics has acquired the assets of Elite Plastic (both Hastings, MN). Elite Plastic extrudes custom plastics profiles for the point-of-purchase market in the northeastern U.S. Rob Tracy, president/CEO of Intek, says the acquisition allows the company to serve a broader customer base with new materials and greater extrusion expertise. Present plans call for both workforces and plants to continue in full operation.

* Greiner Tool.Tec adds three acquisitions

Greiner Tool.Tec, the Nussbach, Austria-based manufacturer of profile extrusion tooling and downstream equipment, had added another 200 employees to its payrolls as the result of three recent acquisitions, one each in the U.S., France and Slovenia. “By opening up new markets and enhancing our order situation, we safeguard the future of our locations in Austria”, said Managing Director Michael Ebli. For 2008 the firm expects double-digit growth in sales.

The acquisitions stretch back over the past few months but have only now been publicized. The purchases include majority holdings in Filière Plastique (Perrignier, France); Automated EDM Inc. (Ramsey, MN); and the establishment of joint venture weba Maribor in Slovenia between Greiner Tool.Tec division weba and Unior AG.

Greiner Tool.Tec includes 21 companies at 16 locations in 8 different countries. About half of the firm’s 1400 workers are in Austria. Last year’s revenues were euro 150 million. More information on the firm is at link: www.greiner-tooltec.com

* Petzetakis, Behka-Plast merge

German tube and conduit extruder Petzetakis and automotive vender Behka-Plast (both Schwalmtal) have joined together to form a single processing operation under the name A. Petzetakis Deutschland. In April the company expanded its profile extrusion park and increased its warehouse capacity.