Graf von Westphalen advises the Emsland Group in the establishment of a joint venture with the Swedish company Lyckeby
Lyckeby and Emsland Group have set up a joint venture called SOLAM GmbH that will specialize in developing and marketing starches for use by the paper and corrugated cardboard industry.
The Emsland Group was advised by Graf von Westphalen in the establishment of the joint venture and in the inclusion of company divisions from both Emsland and Lyckeby. The legal work was overseen by Dr. Dominik Ziegenhahn (Hamburg) and a former partner of Graf von Westphalen, Dr. Barbara Mayer, from the Freiburg office, which is now part of Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner.
The companies' partnership is designed to tap synergy effects in the areas of marketing, logistics, and research and development. Another aim is to develop joint innovations in such special applications as coating, tissue paper and highly cationic starches. One priority area for SOLAM will be to expand and grow the raw material portfolio with wheat and corn starches.
The Emsland Group is an international starch business that creates innovative products based on potato and pea starches for the manufacturing industry. The focal points are the food, glue, construction, textile and pet food industries. Emsland-Stärke is Germany's largest producer of potato starch and the world's leading manufacturer of starch finishing products, proteins, fibers as well as potato flakes and granulates. Emsland-Stärke operates Europe's largest potato processing starch plant in Emlichheim, a town located in Bentheim County. The group's revenues totaled €335 million in 2009, and Emsland-Stärke employs 840 people. You will find additional information at www.emsland-group.de.
Lyckeby is a business unit of the Swedish company Sveriges Stärkelseproducenter. Like Emsland-Stärke, Lyckeby is active in the areas of development, production and distribution of starch products, particularly potato products. You will find additional information at www.lyckeby.com.
In tax-related matters, the Emsland Group was also advised by the auditing firm RölfsPartner (Martin Blesgen and Axel Schiller), while Lyckeby was represented during the entire transaction by the Swedish law firm Mannheimer Swartling (Madeleine Rydberger).
Background:
The Hamburg office of Graf von Westphalen has been advising the Emsland Group for years, particularly in the areas of export and customs law. In recent years, Graf von Westphalen has regularly provided assistance in the areas of commercial and antitrust law as well.
Contact persons:
Dr. Dominik Ziegenhahn, Partner
Tel.: +49 40 35922-128
d.ziegenhahn@gvw.com
Dr. Robert Theissen, Managing Partner
Tel.: +49 40 35922-136
r.theissen@gvw.com
Press contact:
Julia Burmester, Marketing
Tel.: +49 40 35922-204
j.burmester@gvw.com