November 12, 2015
A cross-border Willkie team advised Dexter, a portfolio company of The Sterling Group, on its agreement to acquire AL-KO VT.
On October 26, Dexter Axle Company, a portfolio company of Willkie client The Sterling Group, announced that it has agreed to acquire AL-KO Vehicle Technology (VT) from AL-KO Kober SE. The combination of the two companies will create the global leader in trailer axle and chassis supply, with sales approaching nearly $1 billion.
The combined company, to be named DexKo Global Inc., will be majority owned by funds managed by Sterling and will include AL-KO Kober SE as a significant shareholder.
U.S.-based Dexter is the leading designer and manufacturer of trailer axles, brakes and related components in North America. Headquartered in Kötz, Germany, AL-KO VT is the leading European designer and manufacturer of trailer axles, trailer and caravan components, chassis and motorized chassis. The company operates from 20+ locations around the world, including in Europe, Australia, South Africa, China and South America.
The cross-border Willkie deal team – who was co-counsel to the buy side along with Bracewell & Giuliani – included partners Mario Schmidt, Bruce Herzog, Jan Wilms, Patrick Meiisel, Susanne Zuehlke, Annette Peron and Claire McDaid; national partners Maximilian Schwab, Bettina Bokeloh, Christian Rolf and Gianluca Cattani; special European counsel Jasmin Dettmar and special counsel Jason Whiteley; and associates Johannes Eckhardt, Andreas Feith, Jochen Riechwald, Jan-Claudio Munoz-Gonzalez, Stefan Bührle, Sebastian Rabe, Andreas Knödler, Christian Grahlmann, Xavier Nassoy, Laure Pistre, Zachary Chittick, Joshua Begner, Iben Madsen, Gerry Kelly and Sayjel Revell.
