Kansai Helios acquires assets of coatings manufacturer Wefa

With the acquisition of all assets of Wefa, including all business activities, brands and employees, the Kansai Helios Group now has a second location in Germany in addition to Kansai Helios Germany in Buchholz-Mendt. According to the company, this merger creates strong synergies within the group, particularly in the areas of rail vehicle coatings and other industrial coatings. With this acquisition, Kansai Helios increases its competence as a system supplier in Europe. Wefa is a well-known, certified coating manufacturer for the European rail vehicle industry and has many years of expertise in water-based coating systems with environmentally friendly properties. The company's headquarters and production facility are located in Essen, Germany. Wefa's products are part of the Kansai Helios Group's comprehensive brand range and significantly complement the existing brand range in the rail vehicle coatings and ACE coatings (agricultural, construction and earthmoving machinery) segments.

In the rail vehicle coatings segment, Kansai Helios will thus in future bundle its entire expertise worldwide with the Wefa and Rembrandtin brands. "This acquisition is an important step in the growth strategy of the Kansai Helios Group, which will strengthen its presence in Germany. The group will serve the market as a system supplier with the combined strength of two production units, each specialized in its field: Kansai Helios Germany GmbH in Buchholz-Mendt and the new company in Essen," said Dietmar Jost, executive director of the Kansai Helios Group. Robert Schramm, owner of Wefa and one of the managing directors of Kansai Helios Wefa as of August 1, 2022, is proud: "This step is a milestone in Wefa's almost 100-year history. Founded as a family business, the brand has now made it into the ranks of Europe's top coating brands. As a new member of Kansai Helios, we will benefit from additional experience and know-how within the group. This is a win-win for Wefa and vice versa, as our specialized coating formulations complete the new owner's product range and guarantee the highest product quality for a wide range of applications, especially for the rail vehicle industry." Under the umbrella of Kansai Helios, the company will continue business operations at its current site in Essen.