Stabilus

In August 2004 Montagu led the Management Buyout of Stabilus, at that time a subsidiary of Demag Sarl a conglomerate owned by KKR and Siemens.

Stabilus was a manufacturer of gas springs, hydraulic vibration dampers, continuously adjustable doorstays and automatic opening and closing systems for doors, trunk lids and tailgates. The company, established in Koblenz in 1934, operated on a global scale with 11 production sites in 11 countries on 5 continents. At the time of the deal the company generated sales of about €370 million.

Stabilus had been the world-wide leader in technological innovations since its inception. Its diversified customer base with long standing and close customer relationships, its unrivalled market position and strong management team made it an ideal investment for Montagu. Its proximity to customers and continuous investment in technology and innovations also provided it with future growth opportunities in all its markets. Montagu provided the financing to explore these opportunities, e.g. by investing in new product development and by extending the production footprint with new plants in Romania and China to serve the fast growing Eastern European and Asian market.

Montagu acquired Stabilus in fierce competition under a tight timetable thanks to its focused analysis of the company and the commitment to deliver the negotiated deal in a very short period of time.

In May 2008 Stabilus was sold to Paine & Partners, LLC, the San Francisco and New York-based private equity firm.