Fischer Oberflächentechnologie is taken over by investor

Good news for the workforce of automotive supplier Fischer Oberflächentechnologie GmbH, based in Katzenelnbogen in the Rhein-Lahn district. As part of a successful investor process, insolvency administrator Jens Lieser from Lieser Rechtsanwälte in Koblenz has managed to find a buyer. The strategic investor comes from Switzerland and does not wish to be named. The buyer has founded a new subsidiary for the acquisition, which will continue to operate the automotive supplier under the name DKS Surface GmbH. The headquarters of the automotive supplier will remain in Katzenelnbogen. The investor specializes in the acquisition and development of medium-sized manufacturing and service companies, particularly for plastics processing in the commercial and industrial sectors. The investor had previously acquired other companies in the plastics processing industry. With Fischer Oberflächentechnologie, the strategic investor is consistently expanding its market position in this sector. The creditors' committee approved the purchase agreement at its meeting on March 20, 2024. The parties involved have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The purchase agreement took effect on 01.04.2024.

As part of the transferring restructuring, both the head office in Katzenelnbogen and the site in Seelbach will continue to operate in full. All current employees will be taken on. The insolvency administrator and the management informed the workforce accordingly at a works meeting. "I am delighted that we have succeeded in finding a viable and sustainable future solution for the company despite a difficult market environment," says insolvency administrator Jens Lieser. "My special thanks go to all those involved and in particular to the employees, who have also contributed to the current solution with their great commitment over many months," Lieser continued. The preservation of many jobs and the continuation of the automotive supplier in a structurally weak region is crucial for the local people. Fischer Oberflächentechnologie, which will now operate under the name DKS Surface GmbH, is known in the industry as a premium supplier of high-quality products in chrome design. The company not only has well-qualified employees, but also many years of experience and expertise. The acquisition gives the investor the opportunity to achieve considerable synergies in the market. The bundling of know-how from the entire group will result in advantages and prospects for sustainable strategic growth. The sharp rise in commodity prices in recent years, for example for copper, nickel and palladium, had caused problems for the company, as the price increases could not be passed on in full to customers when purchasing raw materials. When the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022 and energy prices skyrocketed in a short space of time as a result, this hit the automotive supplier particularly hard. As a manufacturing company with high energy requirements for the production of plastic parts by injection moulding and electroplating, the additional energy costs proved to be a considerable financial burden for the company. As a result, the company went into the red and ultimately had to file for insolvency at the Montabaur district court.