HEUKING advises Chinese Mengtai Group on acquisition of Alu Menziken Group

A team led by Dr. Bodo Dehne and Sen Gao advised the Chinese Inner Mongolia Mengtai Group Co., Ltd. on the acquisition of the Alu Menziken Group from Montana Aerospace AG. HEUKING acted as lead counsel in the transaction and coordinated local counsel in Switzerland, Austria and Romania.

Alu Menziken is an established manufacturer of lightweight components from aluminium, including solutions for e-battery systems, structural components, and crash management systems. The company is a trusted partner for key suppliers and OEMs in the automotive, railway, construction, industry, and pneumatics sectors. With around 700 employees and production facilities in Switzerland, Austria, and Romania, Alu Menziken covers the complete value chain with its integrated production capabilities, from casting raw material and extrusion to machining, surface treatment and assembly of manufactured components. In 2023, the company generated consolidated net sales of 160.9 million Euros with an adjusted EBITDA of 25.4 million Euros. The Alu Menziken Group consists of Alu Menziken Group AG, Reinach (Switzerland), Alu Menziken Euromotive GmbH, Ranshofen (Austria), Alu Menziken SRL, Satu Mare (Romania) and Alu Menziken Germany GmbH, Dillingen (Germany).

Montana Aerospace AG and its operating subsidiaries are a leading, highly-vertically integrated manufacturer and supplier of system components and complex assemblies for the aerospace-, e-mobility- and energy industry with worldwide engineering and manufacturing operations. For Montana Aerospace, the divestment represents a critical step in implementing of the previously announced goal to streamline its portfolio as a focused aerostructures company.

Mengtai Group is a large, privately owned Chinese group of companies with a main focus on energy generation and distribution, agriculture, and aluminium. Mengtai Group has more than 6,000 employees and had an annual revenue of ca. 6 billion Euros in 2023. Alu Menziken Extrusion AG was acquired by Mengtai Germany GmbH, a 100% subsidiary of Inner Mongolia Mengtai Group Co., Ltd.

The closing of the transaction is subject to the usual conditions, including regulatory approvals. The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

This is the second time that HEUKING advised the Mengtai Group on an acquisition in Europe. Previously, HEUKING advised the Mengtai Group on the acquisition of the apt Group that manufactures and refines high-quality aluminum profiles with about 1,000 employees at four locations in Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic (see here). The deal was awarded "China Deal of the Year 2020" by the China Business Law Journal (see here).

Now, HEUKING acted as lead counsel and coordinated local counsel in Switzerland, Austria and Romania for the acquisition of the Alu Menziken Group. The transaction underlines HEUKING's ability to advise clients from all over the world in international transactions comprehensively and across borders through its global network of law firms. HEUKING works closely with excellent law firms around the globe that are best suited for the task at hand.

Dr. Bodo Dehne and Sen Gao are members of the China Desk of HEUKING and regularly advise Chinese companies on their investments in Germany.

Legal Counsel to Inner Mongolia Mengtai Group Co., Ltd.
HEUKING (Germany / Lead Counsel):
Dr. Bodo Dehne (Lead), Corporate/M&A, Dusseldorf
Sen Gao (Co-Lead), Corporate /M&A, Dusseldorf /Hamburg
Sarah Radon, LL.M., Corporate /M&A, 
Christoph Hexel, Employment, 
Torsten Groß, LL.M., 
Anna Schenke, both Employment, 
Beatrice Stange, LL.M., Competition, all Dusseldorf
Peter M. Schäffler, Tax, Munich

Wenger Vieli (Switzerland):
Marc Walter (Lead), Corporate/M&A, Zurich
Kevin Vangehr (Co-Lead), Corporate/M&A, Zurich
Joel Schmidt, Corporate /M&A, Zurich
Sophia Hartwig, Real Estate, Zurich
Roman Heinz, Real Estate, Zurich
Yannic Lütolf, Real Estate, Zurich
Claudia Keller, Data Protection/IP, Zurich
Alessa Waibel, Financial Services, Zurich
Nathalie Germann, Employment, Zug
Matthias Langenegger, IP/IT, Zurich

DORDA (Austria):
Dr. Martin Brodey (Lead), Corporate/M&A, Vienna
Patricia Backhausen (Co-Lead), Corporate/M&A, Vienna
Aleksandra Hübl-Langer, Corporate/M&A, Vienna
Florina Thenmayer, Employment, Vienna
Julia Huber, Employment, Vienna
Safiye Ünüvar, Finance, Vienna
Magdalena Brandstetter, Real Estate, Vienna
Vivien Lux, Real Estate, Vienna
Noah Hofer, Public Law, Vienna
Dr. Andreas Seling, IP, Vienna
Nino Tlapak, IT/Data Protection, Vienna
Stefanie Dirnbauer, IP/IT/Data Protection, Vienna
Magdalena Nitsche, Insurance, Vienna
Sarah Gruber, Insurance, Vienna
Dr. Bernhard Müller, Public Law, Vienna
Dairine Sonnek, Corporate/M&A, Vienna

Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen (Romania):
Ruxandra Bologa (Lead), Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Emanuel Flechea, Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Laurențiu Neacșu, Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Malina Trifu, Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Vlad Tănase, Real Estate, Bucharest
Mara Pieleanu, Real Estate, Bucharest
Mădălina Vasile, Data Protection, Bucharest
Alexandru Ciambur, Banking and Finance, Bucharest
Diana Vasile, Banking and Finance, Bucharest
Mihai Fifoiu, Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Anca Diaconu, Competition, Bucharest
Rares Farcas, Competition, Bucharest
Daniel Stancescu, Employment, Bucharest
Flavia Petcu, Real Estate, Bucharest
Bianca Isache, Real Estate, Bucharest
Georgiana Porosnicu-Anitoae, Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Raul Arama, Corporate/M&A, Bucharest
Florina Firaru, IP, Bucharest

M&A advisor to Inner Mongolia Mengtai Group Co., Ltd.
Livingstone Partners:
Baoshan Bao (Lead)
Dr. Roland Schulz
Trim Valci