Baker McKenzie advises Olaf Hahn on sale of SOBEK Group to DEUTZ

Baker McKenzie has advised Dr Olaf Hahn, owner and managing director of SOBEK Group GmbH (SOBEK), on the sale of his shares to the listed DEUTZ Aktiengesellschaft. DEUTZ is acquiring 100 per cent of the shares in SOBEK. The transaction is expected to be finalized shortly.

"With our experienced Corporate/M&A team, we were able to provide Dr Hahn with comprehensive support in this transaction. With the acquisition by DEUTZ, SOBEK gains access to a larger market, especially in the fast-growing defense technologies for drones, and can further expand its expertise in the development of high-precision electric drive systems", commented Thorsten Seidel, lead partner on the transaction.

SOBEK is a developer and manufacturer of high-precision electric drive systems that are used in unmanned aerial systems such as military drones. In the civil sector, customer industries include motorsport, medical technology and robotics. Based in Hirschberg, Germany, the company employs around 70 people at three locations in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse and expects sales in the low to mid double-digit million range this year.

DEUTZ Aktiengesellschaft, based in Cologne, is a listed manufacturer of diesel, gas, hydrogen and electrified engines. With the acquisition of SOBEK, DEUTZ is tapping into a new growth market in the defense sector. The expansion of this business segment is part of DEUTZ's strategy to become less dependent on the cyclical business with internal combustion engines. DEUTZ employs around 5,000 people and expects to generate revenue of between EUR 2.1 billion and EUR 2.3 billion in 2025.

Baker McKenzie's German Corporate/M&A practice regularly advises on complex domestic and international M&A transactions. Most recently, Baker McKenzie advised JD.com on the acquisition of Ceconomy, VINCI Energies on the acquisition of R + S Group and on the acquisition of Zimmer & Hälbig Group, Bristol Myers Squibb on the transfer of Juno Therapeutics to TQ Therapeutics, Sunoco on the acquisition of TanQuid Group, Georg Fischer on the acquisition of VAG Group, AURELIUS on the acquisition of Teijin Automotive Technologies, Centric Software on the acquisition of Contentserv Group, Fagron Group on the acquisition of Euro OTC & Audor Pharma GmbH, Terra One Climate Solutions on the Sale of Battery Energy Storage Systems, Berlin Packaging on the acquisition of RIXIUS AG, Instalco on the investment in FABRI AG, the main shareholder on its exit from Atlantic Hub and AURELIUS on the acquisition of What's Cooking Savoury Division.

Legal advisor to Dr Olaf Hahn:
Baker McKenzie

Lead:
Corporate/M&A:Dr. Thorsten Seidel (Partner, Berlin)

Team:
Corporate/M&A/Real Estate:Ben Boi Beetz (Senior Associate, Berlin), Holger Engelkamp (Partner, Berlin), Nico Ruepp (Associate, Berlin)
Tax:Sonja Klein (Senior Counsel, Frankfurt), Tim Edelhoff (Associate, München)
Employment:Dr. Matthias Köhler (Partner, Frankfurt), Isabell Guntermann (Associate, Berlin)
Antitrust & Competition:Jan Kresken (Partner, Düsseldorf)
IP:Patrick H. Wilkening (Partner, Düsseldorf), Anela Winzing (Associate, Frankfurt)
Banking & Finance:Kathrin Marchant (Partner, Frankfurt), Matthias Töke (Partner, Frankfurt), Esther Kapern (Associate, Frankfurt)
Commercial & Trade:Dr. Philipp Schütt (Counsel, Düsseldorf)