Ropal Europe AG acquires Ropal Innovative Coatings by means of a capital increase with Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek
Ropal Innovative Coatings (RIC) will be wholly taken over by Ropal Europe AG. Ropal Europe AG's executive board and supervisory board had previously agreed with RIC's shareholders to acquire the company. The acquisition is to take place as part of a capital increase against contribution in kind in a 1:1.88 ratio. Accordingly, Ropal Europe AG's capital stock will increase by EUR 2,406,011 from EUR 1,279,889 to EUR 3,685,900. Dr. Thorsten Kuthe, Partner at the Cologne office of commercial law firm Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, legally advised the company on the transaction.
By taking over RIC, Ropal Europe AG will now get access to its own coating plant via its new subsidiary. Ropal's cooperation partner Rippert Anlagentechnik GmbH was already contracted by RIC to build a coating plant. Moreover, the old investors, in addition to the technical equipment, gave a binding financing commitment in the million euro range, which will serve working capital financing.
Production is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2014 at the coating plant at a new site near Allendorf/Eder.
Ropal Europe AG, a company headquartered in Allendorf/Eder, operates in the market for special coatings. With the Chrom-Optics process, a worldwide unique coating technology has been developed. Ropal Europe AG holds all rights to the process, which in the long term will replace chromium electroplating. Compared to conventional coating methods, this technology offers greater environmental compatibility. The established technology, which in optical terms is not different from galvanically chromium-plated surfaces, is particularly requested by the automotive, furniture and fittings industries and is licensed by Ropal Europe AG all across Europe. Thorsten Kuthe had already advised the company on its IPO in 2008 and most recently on an additional capital increase.
Counsel to Ropal Europe AG
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek:
Dr. Thorsten Kuthe,
Kristian Franz,
Sarah Ohl (all Capital Markets), all Cologne
