Graf von Westphalen advises Otto Ganter GmbH & Co. KG on the acquisition of a shareholding in J.W. Winco, Inc., Wisconsin, USA
Otto Ganter GmbH & Co. KG of Furtwangen has, as part of a capital increase, acquired a shareholding in the North American construction, production and trading company J.W. Winco. Inc. (New Berlin, Wisconsin, USA) and will in future hold 50% of its shares. Otto Ganter GmbH & Co. KG was advised on the acquisition by Graf von Westphalen in cooperation with the Milwaukee office of the US law firm Foley & Lardner.
The family business Otto Ganter GmbH & Co. KG, which was founded in 1894, produces and sells standard parts made of aluminium, steel, stainless steel and plastic. Otto Ganter is one of the world's leading providers of standard parts for operating and clamping as well as of fixture and machine elements. With 47 subsidiaries and representative offices Ganter is represented in nearly every corner of the world. J.W. Winco, Inc. has up until now acted as a distribution company for Ganter in the USA. The corporate shareholding will further strengthen the cooperation and reinforce Otto Ganter's presence in the USA. You can find further information about the parties involved on the internet at http://www.ganter-griff.de and www.jwwinco.com.
Graf von Westphalen's Freiburg office has been advising Otto Ganter GmbH & Co. KG for several years as its external legal department. The following were involved in the acquisition of the shares in J.W. Winco:
• Dr. Barbara Mayer, (lawyer, lead partner, M&A, Corporate, Freiburg)
• Gerhard Manz, (lawyer, M&A, Freiburg)
• Eugen Kienzler, bws GmbH (tax adviser, accountant, Finance, Business Evaluations, Freiburg).
• Kevin Makowski, Foley & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee, USA.
Background
Graf von Westphalen is a partnership of approximately 150 lawyers, tax advisers and accountants. With offices in Berlin, Cologne, Dresden, Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg, Hamburg, Munich as well as Alicante, Brussels and Shanghai, Graf von Westphalen is one of the largest independent law firms in Germany. In total the Firm has approximately 350 employees. You can find further information on the internet at www.grafvonwestphalen.com.
Foley & Lardner LLP with approximately 1000 attorneys in 21 offices in the USA (East and West Coast, Mid-West and Florida) as well as offices abroad in Brussels, Tokyo and Shanghai is one of the large North American law firms.
If you have any further questions please contact:
Dr. Barbara Mayer, partner
Tel.: +49 (0) 761 21808-114
E-mail: barbara.mayer@grafvonwestphalen.com
Annegret König, Business Development & Communication,
Tel.: +49 (0) 40 35922-205 or +49 (0) 160 7033250
E-mail: annegret.koenig@grafvonwestphalen.com