Renzenbrink & Partner advises owners of Sauter Federn on the disposal to Pinova Capital and their re-investment

29 May 2018

Renzenbrink & Partner has advised the owners of Heinrich Sauter Fabrik technischer Federn GmbH (“Sauter Federn”), a leading German manufacturer of mechanical springs for the automotive, medical devices and household sector, on the sale of Sauter Federn to Pinova Capital Partners (“Pinova Capital”). The three Sauter brothers, who are descendants of the company’s founder, have made a substantial re-investment and continue in their roles as managing directors.

This divestment enables the Sauter family to establish an organized succession plan at an early stage while simultaneously further encouraging the company’s growth with the support of Pinova Capital, an independent private equity firm that is focused on innovative, technology-oriented and high-growth SMEs in German-speaking countries. Together, Pinova Capital and company management intend to further diversify and internationalize Sauter Federn’s business.

Founded in 1934, Sauter Federn is still family-run in the third generation. Based in the Black Forest, the company produced over 800 million springs in 2017, making it one of the leading manufacturers of custom springs for special applications. The company serves blue-chip customers in industries such as the automotive sector, the medical sector and household appliances. In addition to complex bent components, mechanical springs and product assembly, Sauter Federn also offers services such as the design of application concepts, prototyping, batch-packaging and support in the installation and usage of its products.

Renzenbrink & Partner has advised the three Sauter brothers on all legal aspects of the sale and the re-investment. The Renzenbrink & Partner team consisted of Dr Ulf Renzenbrink, Dr Andreas Stoll and Martin Degenhard (all Private Equity/M&A).