GvW Graf von Westphalen advises Zschimmer & Schwarz on the Chinese law aspects of its acquisition of Interpolymer Corporation (USA)

A Shanghai-based team of GvW Graf von Westphalen has advised Zschimmer & Schwarz Chemie GmbH, a global supplier of high performance chemical specialties and auxiliaries headquartered in Lahnstein, Germany (“Zschimmer & Schwarz”), on the Chinese law aspects of its acquisition of Interpolymer Corporation, U.S.A., a worldwide specialist and technology leader for tailor-made specialty polymers (“Interpolymer”).

GvW acted as Zschimmer & Schwarz’ PRC legal counsel on the legal due diligence of Interpolymer’s Chinese group companies and on all China-related aspects of the transaction agreements, working in close cooperation with the buyer’s lead counsel in the U.S. The GvW team was led by Shanghai office managing partner Patrick Heid and further included partner Dr Oliver Maaz and associates Jiaye Wang and Feiyu Chen (all Corporate/M&A).

A family-owned business founded in 1894, Zschimmer & Schwarz develops and produces chemical specialties and auxiliaries for the leather, fur, ceramic, textile and fiber industries as well as for cosmetics, cleaning applications and phosphonates. The Interpolymer acquisition expands the existing business portfolio with polymer-based solutions. With this acquisition, the Zschimmer & Schwarz group now comprises 28 companies worldwide, among which 19 companies have their own production facilities.

GvW maintains an office in Shanghai since 2008 and regularly advises European and U.S. companies on their M&A activities in, and business relationships with, China. The Shanghai team currently counts ten lawyers who are admitted to the German, PRC and/or New York bars. In addition, GvW’s inter-office China Desk provides comprehensive advice to Chinese corporates on their investment projects and business activities in the German and European markets.