Equistone acquires majority share in RHODIUS

Through Fund V, Equistone Partners Europe has acquired a majority share in RHODIUS Holding GmbH. The company, based in the Bavarian town of Weißenburg, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of mechanical components and modules for airbags and the environmental and process engineering industry. Equistone has acquired the shares of an investor consortium led by the majority shareholders, NORD Holding and BayBG Bayerische Beteiligungsgesellschaft.

“Rhodius’s market position and growth prospects were both decisive factors for us. In our view the environmental and process engineering industry is particularly significant, as it provides a foundation for further growth for innovate filter products, both organically and strategically,” said Dr Marc Arens, Partner at Equistone.

“Going forward, Rhodius will be a leader in terms of vehicle safety and environmental engineering innovations. Rhodius is a company with significant potential which we intend to capitalise on, mainly through further expansion in countries such as China and the USA,” commented Dr Peter Hammermann, Senior Partner at Equistone.

From its administration centre in Weißenburg in Middle Franconia, the international airbag and filter technology manufacturer coordinates its four production sites in Germany, Hungary and China. Established in 1925 as a family firm to produce wire meshes for scouring pads, today Rhodius has an annual turnover of 45 million euros (2014) and more than 400 people on its payroll.

Rhodius is one of the world’s top producers of mechanical components and modules for the airbag industry. Within the fields of Environmental and Process Engineering, as well as Industrial and Safety Engineering, Rhodius is a leading international provider of filter products and modules, in particular for the airbag industry, and of filter system solutions for other industries. In recent years, Rhodius has expanded into new product fields and has developed an international distribution and production network.

“We are looking forward to a successful collaboration with Equistone so that we can continue to grow internationally and press ahead with our strategy for the future”, said Rhodius’s CEO, Dr Robert Kopetzky.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The deal is subject to antitrust approval.

Dr Peter Hammermann, Dr Marc Arens and Maximilian Göppert led the transaction for Equistone. Equistone were advised on the deal by Ashurst (Legal), Ernst & Young (Financial & Tax) and PwC (Commercial).