Deloitte Legal advises Winning Group on acquisition of insolvent automotive suppliers Linden and SMK

The Deloitte Legal team led by corporate/M&A partner Dirk Hänisch (Dusseldorf) and employment law partner Dr. Charlotte Sander (Hannover) has advised the Czech Winning Group a.s. on the purchase of the business operations of the insolvent Linden GmbH and its shares in the Czech subsidiary Linden.s.r.o. as well as the business operations of the insolvent Sächsische Metall- und Kunststoffveredlungs GmbH (SMK) from the insolvency administrator Dr. Bero-Alexander Lau.

The Linden Group, with its production sites in Lüdenscheid and Hustopeče, Czech Republic, and SMK, with its production site in Oberlungwitz, produce surface-finished components for the automotive industry.

With the acquisition of the Linden Group and SMK, Winning Group a.s. is pursuing a long-term approach focused on stable growth. "This purchase is a significant step for Winning Group on its growth path in the automotive sector" said Sebastian P. Wagner, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Winning Group a.s. "We would also like to thank the customers and suppliers for their continued support and patience, and specifically the employees of Linden and SMK for their contribution in supporting the transaction and ensuring the turnaround of the operation. We are confident in our ability to effectively develop the operation and achieve significant market share growth."

"We have had some extremely busy few months behind us. I am very pleased to have found a strong investor with experience in the automotive industry," said Dr. Lau. "I know that the Linden Group and SMK are in good hands. Especially for the employees, who have fought very hard for the companies in recent years, I am very pleased with this success."

The closing of the purchase agreements took place on February 1, 2022. The majority of the total of around 450 jobs could be retained.

Deloitte Legal regularly advises Winning Group on M&A transactions, including the acquisition of automotive suppliers SONA BLW Präzisionsschmiede and SONA AutoComp Germany, which was completed at the end of 2020.

.Advisor Winning Group:

Deloitte Legal: Dirk Hänisch (lead, corporate/M&A, Dusseldorf), Dr. Charlotte Sander (co-lead), Claus Wilker, Alexander Deja (all labor, Hannover), Horst Heinzl (corporate/M&A Dusseldorf), Dr. Moritz Alexander Erkel (corporate, Berlin), Katharina Zickermann (commercial, Hamburg), David Simek, Tomas Mach (both Deloitte Legal CZ, Prague)

About Winning Group:

Winning Group a.s. of Brno, Czech Republic, is an industrial group focused on "old economy" markets with the goal of creating leading companies in the automotive and construction industries. Founded in 2016, the group has grown organically and through five acquisitions in recent years to total sales of group companies and joint ventures of €350 million and employs 1,700 dedicated people worldwide.