VR Equitypartner portfolio company Kälte Eckert acquires Gartner, Keil & Co
A team led by Dr. Rainer Herschlein, Partner at Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, advised Kälte Eckert GmbH on the acquisition of Gartner, Keil & Co Klima- und Kältetechnik GmbH. The shares were sold by Frank Keil, the company’s sole shareholder and General Manager, who will remain in operational management in the future. The objectives of the partnership between VR Equitypartner’s portfolio company Kälte Eckert and Gartner, Keil & Co are the expansion of service network and qualified staff, as well as the bundling of know-how.
Gartner, Keil & Co. Klima- und Kältetechnik GmbH specializes in the consulting and sale of customized systems in the fields of refrigeration and air conditioning technology, cold storage technology, cold storage and deep-freeze rooms, and special equipment construction. Established in 1990, the company is based in Neulußheim in Baden-Württemberg and employs 16 people.
Kälte Eckert GmbH concentrates on special equipment construction for commercial refrigeration with a focus on commercial kitchens, industrial refrigeration, and air conditioning. In addition, the company is the nationwide technology leader in alternative ecological coolants. Its customers include Daimler, UniCredit, and LBBW. The company was established in 1966 and is now managed by the company founder’s sons, Michael Eckert and Holger Eckert.
VR Equitypartner GmbH is one of the leading equity financiers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, supporting medium-sized family businesses in strategically solving complex financing issues. The company offers majority and minority participations as well as mezzanine financing. VR Equitypartner’s portfolio includes some 100 commitments with an investment volume of EUR 500 million.
The team led by Herschlein previously advised Kälte Eckert on its merger with Günther Kältetechnik GmbH in November 2019.
Counsel to VR Equitypartner GmbH
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek:
Dr. Rainer Herschlein, LL.M. (Lead, Corporate), Stuttgart
Charlotte Schmitt, LL.M. (Corporate, M&A), Stuttgart
