Germany’s Continental AG has acquired US-based tyre specialist Hoosier Racing Tire for an undisclosed sum. The deal to purchase the formerly privately-owned company was completed on 3 October. The acquisition of Hoosier Racing Tire follows seven years of collaboration with Continental, during which time the two companies worked together on various development and motorsport projects.
On 29 September Lanxess announced plans to acquire US-based Chemtura Corporation, one of the major global providers of flame retardant and lubricant additives.
Under the terms of the two parties’ agreement, Chemtura shareholders will receive US$33.50 per share in cash for each outstanding share of common stock held, which represents an 18.9 per cent premium to the stock’s closing share price of $28.18 on 23 September 2016. The 2.4 billion euro transaction will be financed by Lanxess mainly through senior and hybrid bonds and is expected to close around mid-2017.
Birmingham-based Dunlop Aircraft Tyres Ltd (DATL) has confirmed that the company is looking for new investors. And this means that “initial discussions” with “a number of interested parties” are already underway.
According to the company’s executive chairman Ian Edmondson, the goal is to find a suitable partner to help the company continue to move forward at its current rate of positive growth: “Our shareholders are now seeking to find a new investor who is in a position to help the business maintain the outstanding growth record that it has delivered in recent years.”
The France-based Mobivia Groupe, Europe’s largest independent automotive maintenance and repair services group, based in France, has agreed to acquire leading German autocentre chain ATU. Combined annual sales are expected to be roughly 2.7 billion euros, while there will be close to 2,000 automotive workshops and retail stores and over 20,000 employees in the group.
The creditors who hold a 42 per cent share in Kumho Tire are said to have begun the process of selling the tyre maker. Reuters reports a spokesperson for Korea Development Bank, the largest Kumho Tire shareholder, as giving November or thereabouts as the deadline for initial letters of interest, with main bids coming in or around January. Credit Suisse has been appointed to manage the deal.
Michelin has become the majority shareholder in Symbio FCell in the latest round of fundraising conducted by the French hydrogen fuel cell technology company. This fundraising round also saw energy company Engie come on board as an investor. Symbio FCell states that the funds raised give it “the means to develop faster, particularly in the field of hydrogen mobility.”
Following its acquisition of a “significant interest” in the Cobra Group/Depreux in the second half of 2015, Rema Tip Top has now increased its stake in the French conveyor belt manufacturer to 100 per cent. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Liberty Media Corporation and CVC Capital Partners have announced that Liberty Media has agreed to acquire Formula One, the iconic global motorsports business, from a consortium of sellers led by CVC. Liberty Media owns interests in a broad range of media, communications and entertainment businesses.
The consideration comprises cash and newly issued shares in the Liberty Media Group tracking stock (LMCK) and a debt instrument exchangeable into shares of LMCK. The transaction price represents an enterprise value for Formula One of $8.0 billion and an equity value of $4.4 billion.
Knorr-Bremse AG has made a takeover offer for all shares in Haldex. Knorr-Bremse is offering 110.00 Swedish krone per Haldex share, 10.0 per cent higher than ZF Friedrichshafen AG’s offer of 100.00 krone per Haldex share.
Trelleborg’s Trelleborg Wheel Systems business unit has agreed to acquire International Tyre and Wheel Solutions Ltd. (ITWS), the UK-based privately owned distributor of large solid off-the-road (OTR) tyres for the waste, recycling and demolition industries. The acquisition follows and, in Trelleborg’s words, complements the recent acquisition of Mitas and gives the firm access to both the pneumatic and solid tyre markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The Michelin Group has acquired Levorin, a Brazilian manufacturer of bicycle and motorcycle tyres.
Levorin is a family business which was founded in 1943 by Hercules Levorin. It specializes in the production of tyres for the commuter segment in Brazil. In 2015 Levorin had an annual turnover of 135 million euros and employs 2,000 people at its two plants in Sao Paulo and Manaus.
On the 4 July, as the USA began to celebrate its independence day, Continental AG’s UK subsidiary (Continental Tyre Group) announced it had bought Bandvulc (B.V. Environmental Ltd.), one of only two substantially sized independent retreaders left in the UK. Legally, the takeover establishes Bandvulc as a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental UK Group Holdings Limited. T&A understands Bandvulc’s existing management team are to continue to lead the business.
Following on from the purchase of Jetyres at the end of last month, the company has shared further details of its recent growth and investment.
Universal Tyre & Autocentres is now a third and fourth generation family business with a trading history of 93 years. The company services tyre needs from cars right through to earthmovers. Latterly the company has upgraded it service offering within the car sector, as Wright explained:
At the start of the year, Cooper Tire & Rubber confirmed its intention to acquire a majority interest in Chinese truck and bus radial manufacturer Qingdao Ge Rui Da Rubber Co., Ltd (GRT); the plan is to initially purchase a 51.86 per cent equity interest in the joint venture company from Qingdao Yiyuan Investment Co., Ltd., with Cooper Tire Holding Company obtaining a further 4.32 per cent; the registered capital in GRT will then be increased from RMB 350,000,000 to RMB 438,236,991, the result being that Cooper Tire & Rubber’s share will rise to 60 per cent share and Cooper Tire Holding Company’s to five per cent.
Following the acquisition of all necessary approvals on 28 July, Bridgestone EMEA has completed the 100 per cent acquisition of fast fit network Speedy France. Bridgestone EMEA announced its plan to acquire the French retail chain on 30 May 2016.
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