Corporate / M&A

Centrotec

On August 24, 2020, CENTROTEC SE (ETR: DEV), a German company specializing in energy-efficient building technology listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, announced its entry into a purchase agreement for the acquisition of all shares in Pari Group AG, Steinhausen, Switzerland, at a provisional purchase price of appox. EUR 43 m in the aggregate.
PARI Group AG is the holding company for a group of companies that includes 80% of CS Wismar GmbH, a specialist in the production of solar modules, as well as a comprehensive real estate portfolio with ancillary real estate services. The closing of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, in particular antitrust clearance by the German Federal Cartel Office. The transaction is expected to close at the beginning of Q4 2020.
Homburger acts as Swiss counsel to CENTROTEC. The Homburger team is led by partner Daniel Hasler (Corporate / M&amp;A) and comprises associates Mario Wälti, Marc Schamaun and junior associate Miriam Oelgarth (all Corporate / M&amp;A).

Homburger advises CENTROTEC SE in its acquisition of Pari Group AG

Competition

Employment and Executive Compensation

IP / IT

On July 1, 2020, ABB Ltd announced that it reached a significant milestone in the company&#8217;s transformation towards a decentralized global technology company, with the completion of the divestment of 80.1% of its Power Grids business to Hitachi, as planned. The divestment allows ABB to focus on key market trends and customer needs such as the electrification of transport and industry, automated manufacturing, digital solutions and increased sustainable productivity.
ABB is a long-term partner of Hitachi and will initially retain a 19.9% equity stake in the joint venture that will operate as Hitachi ABB Power Grids. The joint venture headquartered in Switzerland is a global leader in power systems, with annualized revenues of approximately USD 10 bn and roughly 36,000 employees, serving customers in over 90 countries. The transaction valued the Power Grids business at an enterprise value of USD 11 bn. ABB has a pre-defined option to exit the retained 19.9% shareholding three years after closing.
Homburger advised ABB in the transaction and the carve-out, marking an important turning point in the history of ABB. The Homburger team was led by partners Claude Lambert and Andreas Müller and comprised lead associate Marc Schamaun, junior associates Gregor Schifferle, Therry Lehmann and Cédric Berger and paralegal Maria Braun (all Corporate / M&amp;A), partners Reto Heuberger and Stefan Oesterhelt, associates Marc Vogelsang and Céline Martin and junior associate Luzius Kaufmann (all Tax), partner Jürg Frick and counsel Eduard De Zordi (both Financing), partner Richard Stäuber and junior associate Urs Stürmer (both Competition), partner Balz Gross and associate Dzevrije Zendeli (both Employment and Executive Compensation), partners Gregor Bühler and Luca Dal Molin and associate Philippe Baumann (all IP / IT). Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP acted as global transaction counsel to ABB.

Homburger advised ABB in the separation of the Power Grids business and the completion of its divestment to Hitachi

Clariant

On December 19, 2019, Clariant AG (Clariant) (SIX: CLN) announced that it has entered into an agreement with PolyOne Corporation (NYSE: POL) for the divestment of its entire masterbatches business. Clariant’s masterbatches business offers color and additive concentrates and performance solutions for plastics and includes 46 manufacturing operations and technology centers in 29 countries and approx. 3,600 employees.
The transaction comprises two transactions: the sale by Clariant of its global masterbatches business and the sale by Clariant Chemicals (India) Limited, a company listed on the stock exchanges in India with Clariant holding a 51% controlling stake, of the local Indian masterbatches business. The total transaction value amounts to USD 1.56 bn, representing approx. 12.2 times the last twelve months reported EBITDA (ending Q3 2019) on a cash and debt free basis. Closing of both transactions is expected by Q3 2020 and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Homburger acted as global lead legal advisor to Clariant in connection with the transactions and the global separation of the masterbatches business in a stand-alone organization. The Homburger team was led by partner Frank Gerhard and included partner Daniel Hasler, associates Mario Wälti, Marc Schamaun, Nicola Togni and Carlo Sulser, junior associates Luzius Kaufmann and Urs Stürmer (all Corporate / M&amp;A), partner Marcel Dietrich, counsel Andreas Burger and associate Allegra Arnold (all Competition), partner Reto Heuberger and associates Céline Martin and Marc Vogelsang (all Tax), partner Gregor Bühler, associate Philippe Baumann and junior associate Oriana Schöni (all IP / IT).

Marc
Schamaun

Homburger advises CENTROTEC SE in its acquisition of Pari Group AG

Homburger advised ABB in the separation of the Power Grids business and the completion of its divestment to Hitachi

Homburger advised Clariant AG in the USD 1.56 bn sale of its global masterbatches business

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Marc Schamaun

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MarcSchamaun

Homburger advises CENTROTEC SE in its acquisition of Pari Group AG

Homburger advised ABB in the separation of the Power Grids business and the completion of its divestment to Hitachi

Homburger advised Clariant AG in the USD 1.56 bn sale of its global masterbatches business

Join the Team

Marc Schamaun

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Bar Registration

Teams

Marc
Schamaun