The buyout of the German sausage-casings manufacturer Kalle Nalo from Hoechst for an undisclosed sum was announced at the end of October. CVC Capital Partners led the deal, acquiring a majority stake in the DM320 million (ecu 162 million) turnover company.
Viscose- and polymer-based sausage casings account for 80% of Kalle Nalo’s sales. The group, which is based in Wiesbaden and employs 750 people, is market leader in Western Europe and in Germany, where it has a 50% share of the market. Worldwide it claims a 30% share of the viscose sausage casings sales. Kalle Nalo, whose origins date back to 1863, also manufactures and sells sponge cloth and wallpaper glue.
Managing director Dr Walter Niederstatter and finance director Horst Ewers lead the management team. In recent years, the company has developed both domestically and globally to increase market share. It plans to continue with this expansion strategy under its new ownership, exploring new business opportunities in North America, Latin America and Eastern Europe, as well as increasing sales of existing products.
Dr Niederstatter commented: “Kalle Nalo is now in an excellent position to build its product range while focusing on customer needs, innovation and technological leadership. In addition, we will cultivate and expand our strong partnerships with customers and build on our robust financial structure. We will also be looking for acquisitions to enhance the company’s growth”.
The buyout opportunity arose as a result of Hoechst’s on-going programme to focus on core businesses.
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