Doughty Hanson Acquires High-Growth Swiss Group

Doughty Hanson in early January signed an agreement to purchase Tornos Bechler, a Swiss manufacturer of high-performance automatic lathes. A leader in its field worldwide, Tornos Bechler last year generated a turnover of CHFr 280 million (euro 175 million). The company has achieved sales growth of approximately 68% since Dr Anton Menth took over as president and CEO in 1995.

No details of the funding structure were available at press time but Doughty Hanson confirmed that, as is its usual practice, the firm will groom Tornos Bechler for flotation in three to five years, working actively alongside incumbent management, who will participate in the buyout.

Based in Moutier with a 950-member staff, Tornos Bechler manufactures two major product lines: single-spindle lathes for the production of small precision parts and multi-spindle lathes for high-volume production of small precision components. Tornos Bechler’s automatic lathes are used principally by firms in the electronics and microtechnics, fastener, watchmaking and medical engineering industries. The firm recently introduced a new range of machines that incorporate the proprietary DECO concept; employing Microsoft Windows-based software, these lathes offer greater precision, flexibility and efficiency. Customers have responded enthusiastically to the DECO lathes and, as a result, Tornos Bechler is increasing is market share.