DexKo announces plan to acquire Winterhoff
DexKo announces the plan to acquire Winterhoff with plans to merge it with its AL-KO business unit – Transfer as of 31 August 2016 – brands to be continued
Kötz, July 2016
DexKo is announcing that it intends to expand the core business of AL-KO Vehicle Technology based in Kötz near Augsburg through the takeover of Winterhoff Group based in Breckerfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Both companies have agreed to this under a contract. With this acquisition, AL-KO is expanding its entire area of the product segments of jockey wheels, couplings and fittings.
Winterhoff is known to be a highly recognised market participant and convinces with its high-quality and innovative products. Furthermore, the company previously supplied some of the jockey wheels sold by AL-KO Vehicle Technology in the past. With this takeover, AL-KO is increasing its own production depth and simultaneously optimising its internal value-added and supply chains in the European market. The fittings sector will top off the AL-KO range. All partners and customers of Winterhoff will continue to be supported as in the past. The previous contacts will remain the same.
Harald Hiller, President of AL-KO Vehicle Technology, emphasises the significance of this transaction: "Winterhoff has been a successful company for decades and is very well positioned in the market with its products. The strategic fit to AL-KO could not be better, because this integration will further strengthen our core business, which will allow us to service our customers with an even broader range. We will continue the brands of Winterhoff and ALBE Berndes in the existing form."
Rainer Winterhoff, Managing Director of the Winterhoff Group, explains: "This is the ideal time, also in light of the rapid globalisation, to put our business on a promising path to a joint future with this merger. AL-KO Vehicle Technology is the perfect fit for this strategic move."
AL-KO is part of DexKo, a global leading running gear company. DexKo is committed to meaningfully growing the business through organic gains and acquisitions of quality companies with strong brands. Fred Bentley CEO of DexKo comments: “We are incredibly excited about the opportunity to add Winterhoff to our company. We have spent the first six months after acquiring AL-KO focusing on improving the business and the team has done an incredible job. We believe it is now time to aggressively grow our business. We believe by adding Winterhoff to our business we can meaningfully grow a strong brand by applying our significant resources to change the growth curve. It is the first of many moves we will be making and it is an exciting time to be part of the DexKo organization.”
The transaction is intended to take effect as of August 31, 2016, and is subject to approval of the antitrust authority.
Please send enquiries to:
ALOIS KOBER GMBH Thomas Lützel
Phone: +49 8221 97-8239 Ichenhauser Str. 14 Fax: +49 8221 97-9214
D-89359 Kötz Mobile: +49 170 9252099
thomas.luetzel@al-ko.de
AL-KO online: www.al-ko.com
ALOIS KOBER GMBH
Founded in 1931, AL-KO Vehicle Technology is a global technology company today with more than 40 sites in Europe, South America, Asia and Australia. Offering high-quality chassis components for trailers, recreational vehicles and light commercial vehicles, AL-KO represents optimum ergonomics and functionality, highest comfort as well as innovations for greater driving safety.
The company is characterised by its sophisticated innovation processes and has received many awards for this. Thanks to the cooperation with Dexter Axle, AL-KO Vehicle Technology will be a part of DexKo Global Inc. from 1 January 2016.