GvW Graf von Westphalen advises the Erwin Hymer Group on its Expansion into China

A team from GvW Graf von Westphalen at its Shanghai office has advised the Erwin Hymer Group, one of the leading manufacturers of recreational vehicles and caravans in Europe headquartered in Bad Waldsee, on the establishment of an equity joint venture company with the Chinese corporate group Lingyu. The focus of the joint venture is on production and distribution of campervans and motorhomes for the Chinese market which is rapidly growing in this segment. 

GvW advised the Erwin Hymer Group comprehensively on all legal aspects of the transaction including on the drafting and negotiation of the contract documentation. The transaction team was led by the managing partner of GvW’s Shanghai office, Patrick Heid, and included senior associate Dr. Dominic Köstner as well as associates Yingci Geng and Huanlei Yan (all corporate/M&A, Shanghai). They were supported by Wolfram Müller (partner, product liability law, Hamburg) and Johan van der Veer (associate partner, distribution law, Hamburg). 

The Erwin Hymer Group unites motorhome and caravan manufacturers, equipment specialists as well as leasing and financing services under one roof. The Group generated sales of 2.5 billion Euro in the financial year 2017/18 with more than 7,300 employees and around 62,000 leisure vehicles worldwide. 

GvW has had its own office in Shanghai since 2008 and regularly advises European and US American companies on their M&A activities and business relationships in China. There are currently ten attorneys in the Shanghai office who are admitted to the bar in Germany, China and/or New York. In addition, the firm’s China Practice provides comprehensive advice to Chinese companies on their investments and business development in the German and European markets. 

GvW with its team of approximately 20 attorneys under the leadership of Hamburg partner Wolfram Müller  advises many German and foreign companies in the recreational vehicle and camping industry as well as the industry association Caravaning Industrieverband e. V.