Sale of Bosch Packaging Technology
Bosch sees this as sign of growing popularity of assistance systems
- CVC Capital Partners selected for its growth strategy for Packaging Technology and for its broad industrial expertise
- Packaging Technology and its Pharma and Food units to remain intact
- All 6,100 associates in 15 countries will remain with the business
- Completion subject to approval by antitrust and other authorities
Stuttgart, Germany / Luxemburg – Bosch plans to sell its packaging machinery business, based in Waiblingen, to a newly incorporated entity managed by CVC Capital Partners (CVC). The company and its Pharma and Food units will remain intact. Based in Luxemburg, CVC is a leading private equity and investment advisory firm with 24 offices in Europe, Asia, and the United States. It currently manages more than US$75 billion of assets.
The parties signed an agreement on July 11, 2019 effecting the transfer of the entire packaging technology business and its 6,100 associates in 15 countries. It has been agreed that the purchase price and other details of the purchase agreement will not be disclosed. Completion of the sale is subject to the approval of various bodies, including antitrust authorities, and is expected to close at the turn of the year.
Positive prospects for the Packaging Technology business
Dr. Alexander Dibelius, Managing Partner of CVC, said: “Bosch Packaging Technology is a strong company in an attractive market with long-term growth prospects. Packaging Technology has an excellent reputation for quality and innovation, a broad product range, a global footprint, and experienced associates. Together with the management team, we will work to take the business forward in the years ahead, and to make it even more competitive.”
Dr. Stefan König, the President of Robert Bosch Packaging Technology GmbH, said: “My colleagues and I in executive management regard this new partnership with CVC as a huge opportunity for our future success. Just under two years ago, we completely modified our strategy. It now includes working on a completely new range of smart and sustainable process and packaging technologies. This will allow us to offer our customers even more attractive product solutions and services in the future. Our customers and our associates will benefit from the progress we have made.”
Dr. Stefan Hartung, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH and chairman of the supervisory board Robert Bosch Packaging Technology GmbH, said: “With its experience in growing companies over the long term, its broad industrial expertise, and its viable strategy for taking the division forward, CVC was the right choice for us. The growth concept it has presented, as well as the investments it plans to make, are very promising. For Packaging Technology and all its associates, our aim was to find a reliable new owner with a long-term approach, under whose leadership the business can develop successfully. We have achieved just that.”
Bosch is consolidating its resources
Bosch announced a year ago that it was looking for a buyer for its packaging technology business. The company is giving increasing attention to mobility and connectivity over the internet of things. It is focusing its existing resources on areas of future importance, such as shaping the transformation process and preparing for further digitalization. Bosch firmly believes that the Packaging Technology division’s competitiveness, and thus also its future viability, can be further enhanced through this new partnership, and that significant stimuli for growth can be created.
About Bosch
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 410,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2018). The company generated sales of 78.5 billion euros in 2018. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT company, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, smart cities, connected mobility, and connected manufacturing. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to deliver innovations for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 460 subsidiary and regional companies in over 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At nearly 130 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 68,700 associates in research and development.
The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.
Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPress.
About CVC Capital Partners
CVC is a leading private equity and investment advisory firm. Founded in 1981, CVC today has a network of 24 offices and over 500 employees throughout Europe, Asia and the US. To date, CVC has secured commitments of over US$123 billion from some of the world's leading institutional investors across its private equity and credit strategies.
In total, CVC currently manages more than US$75 billion of assets. Today, funds managed or advised by CVC are invested in 75 companies worldwide, employing c.300,000 people in numerous countries. Together, these companies have combined annual sales of over approximately US$100 billion. For further information about CVC please visit: www.cvc.com.
Contact person for press inquiries:
CVC
Hendrik Bender
Phone: +49 69 92 18 74-12
Bosch
Katharina Hogh-Binder
Phone: +49 711 811-92571