Baker McKenzie advises Helvetica Capital on acquisition of Schulthess Group

Baker McKenzie has advised Helvetica Capital and its Swiss entrepreneur investors in the acquisition of an additional participation in Schulthess Maschinen and its subsidiaries, a specialist producer of washing technology, equipment and system solutions, by way of acquiring an additional 26% stake in the parent company HC Holding Eta. This transaction makes Helvetica Capital and its Swiss entrepreneur investors the majority shareholders of the Schulthess Group.

By way of this transaction, Schulthess Group is brought back into Swiss majority ownership as an independent company. The transaction is fully in line with the process started in 2019, to gradually transfer Schulthess Group from the former majority shareholder NIBE Group to a new ownership. In 2019, the NIBE Group sold 100% of the shares in Schulthess Group to a new Swiss parent company, HC Holding Eta; at the same time, it became the majority shareholder in this company with a 51% stake. The remaining 49% of the shares in the parent company were acquired by Helvetica Capital and its Swiss entrepreneur investors as well as the management of the Schulthess Group.

Helvetica Capital is an entrepreneurial investor with a focus on Swiss SMEs. Helvetica invests in companies and advises both entrepreneurs and investors on financing and succession solutions. The declared goal is the sustainable and long-term development of hidden champions through active operational and strategic deployment, as well as the contribution of relevant expertise.

Baker McKenzie Switzerland has advised Helvetica Capital and its Swiss entrepreneur investors on all legal aspects of the transaction. The team was led by Alexander Fischer (partner, m&a, pictured left) and Alexander Blaeser (partner, m&a, pictured right) and further consisted of Boris Wenger (partner, merger control), Andrea Bolliger (counsel, tax) and Jasmin Voegtli (associate, m&a).