Hengeler Mueller advises Bain Capital on acquisition of FTE automotive Group from PAI Partners

15. May 2013

The French financial investor PAI Partners has sold FTE automotive Group (“FTE”) to the US-American financial investor Bain Capital. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Back in 2005, PAI had acquired FTE. FTE develops and manufactures a broad portfolio of drive train and brake system applications for the automotive industry and is the world leader in hydraulic clutch. In 2012, the company achieved a turnover of EUR 430 m. FTE is headquartered in Ebern, Germany, and has a manufacturing presence in Europe, the USA, Mexico, Brazil and China. The transaction is still subject to approval by public-legal and competition authorities and is expected be closed in Juli 2013.

Bain Capital is one of the world's leading private investment firms. The private equity fund managed by Bain Capital currently comprises approximately USD 36 bn assets.

Hengeler Mueller has advised Bain Capital on this transaction. The Hengeler Mueller team was led by partners Hans-Jörg Ziegenhain and Daniel Wiegand (both Corporate/M&A, Munich) and included partners Thorsten Mäger (Competition), Wolfgang Kellenter (IP) (both Düsseldorf), Christian Hoefs (Labour), Daniel Weiß (Financing) and Matthias Scheifele (Tax) (all Frankfurt) as well as senior associates Gunther Wagner, Jan-Henning Wyen (both Munich) and associates Benedikt Läufer (Munich), Fabrice Witzke, Matthias Rothkopf (both Düsseldorf), Peter Wehner and Kathrin Cagalj (both Frankfurt).