Alantra advised DBAG’s duagon Holding AG on its merger with MEN Holding GmbH

Mar 2018

Buy-side advisory

Alantra has advised duagon Holding AG (“duagon”), a portfolio company of Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (“DBAG”), on its merger with MEN Holding GmbH (“MEN”) to form a leading provider of software and hardware solutions for data processing and communication, especially in railway vehicles. While the investment company HQ Equita, MEN’s former majority shareholder, will be selling all of its shares, the founder Manfred Schmitz will retain a stake in the company in the future. The transaction is still subject to approval by the competent authorities.

MEN (www.men.de) develops and produces computers and electronic components that are fail-safe and durable even under demanding conditions in order to meet its customers’ specific requirements. These components are used for data processing in trains, aircraft, industrial installations and medical devices. MEN employs a workforce of around 300 employees at its headquarters in Nuremberg as well as at locations in France, China and the US. In 2017, the company generated approximately half of its revenue of 60 million euros from computer systems for railway vehicles.

The listed Deutsche Beteiligungs AG initiates closed-end private equity funds and invests alongside the DBAG funds in well-positioned mid-market companies with growth potential. DBAG focuses on those industry sectors where Germany’s “Mittelstand” is particularly strong in international comparison. With its experience, expertise and equity, DBAG supports the portfolio companies in implementing a long-term and value-enhancing corporate strategy. Its entrepreneurial investment approach makes it a sought-after investment partner in the German-speaking world. The DBAG Group manages and advises capital amounting to around 1.8 billion euros.