25/01/2018 - News

Clearwater International’s automotive sector team strengthens its position

With 15 completed automotive deals worth over €1bn in 2017 Clearwater International’s automotive sector team remains among the worldwide leading M&A advisers to the automotive Industry. In total, Clearwater International’s automotive sector team has completed more than 255 transactions with an aggregate deal value of €12bn providing unrivalled relationships with global OEMs, Tier 1 and 2 suppliers as well as financial sponsors. In the past year the team has advised, among others:

  • BENTELER GROUP on the cross-border sale of BENTELER Automotive Farsund, Norway, to US-based Chassix
  • Orlando Private Equity on the sale of commercial vehicle component manufacturer Beinbauer Group to HIG Capital
  • Buchbinder, a German car-rental company, on the sale of the company to Europcar Group
  • Alantra Private Equity on the acquisition of a 70% stake in the privately owned Portuguese automotive lighting mould manufacturer, MD Moldes
  • STARCO, Europe’s leading wholesaler and distributor of industrial tyres and wheels, in the divestment of major parts of their aftermarket business to Bohnenkamp
  • French automotive parts manufacturer Faurecia on its acquisition of Jiangxi Coagent Electronics, a Chinese in-car infotainment and technology company, in a transaction worth over €180m
  • Etratech Enterprises on the sale to US technology company Gentherm
  • US-based Truck-Lite on the sale of Truck-Lite Europe to Chinese Chongqing Boao Industry

Electrification, shared mobility, connectivity and autonomous driving: These technology-driven megatrends are currently determining the future of the automotive sector and will revolutionise how industry players respond to changing consumer behaviour, develop partnerships, and drive transformational change.

We expect to see continued consolidation in the powertrain area and growth-oriented M&A in the fields of electrification and autonomous driving. Furthermore, we continue to see significant interest of Chinese companies looking to invest in Western automotive suppliers to gain access to leading technology.

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