June 23, 2017
Firm represents Ardian portfolio company Gantner Electronic Austria Holding in its acquisition of Syx Automations, creating a global provider of comprehensive access, billing, and management systems for sport and leisure facilities.
On June 16, Willkie client Gantner Electronic Austria Holding GmbH, a high-tech company specializing in electronic access control, billing and intelligent lock solutions, completed its acquisition of Syx Automations NV, the market leader in the field of ticketing and leisure facility management solutions in the Benelux region. The deal was facilitated with the support of Ardian, a leading independent investment company that has been the majority shareholder at Gantner since February 2016.
The shares in Syx Automations were acquired from the Sofindev III fund, managed by Sofindev Management SA of Belgium, and the company’s own management. Current management will remain at the helm while also taking a minority stake in the new group. The merger creates a globally operating integrated provider of comprehensive access, billing and management systems for sport facilities, leisure centers and visitor attractions.
Operating in about 70 countries, Austria-based Gantner is a pioneer in contactless electronic access control and time recording in its core segments. With more than 120 employees in offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and India, Syx Automations offers software and automation solutions for customers in the leisure market. Ardian currently manages assets of around US $62 billion for its investors from Europe, North America and Asia.
The Willkie team was led by national partner Dr. Maximilian Schwab and included partners Mario Schmidt and Jan Wilms; national partners Didier Willermain and Jean-Quentin De Cuyper; and associates Matthias Schudlo, Andreas Feith, Diego Lambrecht and Dr. Laura Pfirrmann.
