November 21, 2019
Willkie represented Germany-based BBS Automation, a leading developer of automation solutions, in its recent acquisitions of China-based ReaLead, Italy-based Team S.r.l. and Poland-based ANT Sp. z o.o.
Willkie client BBS Automation recently announced that it has stepped up its ambitious consolidation strategy with the closing of its acquisition of ReaLead, marking its third add-on transaction over the past year. ReaLead is a founder-led Chinese automation solutions provider with strong growth momentum and complementary customer base. The company provides a diverse range of automation solutions, including die casting parts and electric vehicle parts. The company is also one of the early entrants and a key player in the fast-growing 5G telecommunication space. With approximately 150 employees and an experienced technical team, ReaLead serves both Western blue chip companies as well as domestic Chinese customers.
This follows BBS’s July 2019 acquisition of Italian-based Team S.r.l. (now BBS Winding S.r.l.), which has many years of experience providing sophisticated winding machines for a variety of different winding technologies. Highly complex Winding technology is integral to offering a comprehensive range of automation in the production of electric motors. The construction of production equipment for the fabrication of electric motors, in turn, is an important factor in BBS’s turnover. With approximately 60 employees, Team services customers in Europe and overseas. Attorneys in Willkie's Frankfurt, Milan and Rome offices advised on all aspects of the transaction in Germany and Italy.
Lastly, Willkie also represented BBS Automation GmbH on its November 2018 acquisition of industrial software specialist ANT Sp. z o.o, a developer of highly innovative 'Industry 4.0' Solutions. Headquartered in Krakow, Poland, the company digitizes production workflows in largescale manufacturing processes.
Based in Garching bei München, Germany, BBS develops flexible and high-quality automation solutions for complex manufacturing and testing processes. With production sites in Germany, the U.S., China, Malaysia and now in Poland, Italy and Slovakia, BBS supports a diverse network of blue-chip customers on a global scale. EQT Mid Market Europe and EQT Mid Market Asia III jointly invested in BBS alongside its founding families to support the global growth ambitions of the company both organically and through add-on acquisitions.
The cross-border Willkie deal team for each of the three transactions was led by partners Dr. Axel Wahl and Jan Wilms in Frankfurt.
