Company
Mutares focuses on acquiring small and medium-sized companies that find themselves in situations involving major change.
Mutares is a holding company that acquires companies that offer clear potential for improvement.
Mutares focuses on the acquisition of small and medium-sized companies or parts of groups. We aim at leading these companies to stable and profitable growth through intensive operational. Our transaction teams at six European locations identify suitable companies. After the acquisition, our dedicated operational team, together with the management of the portfolio companies, develops a comprehensive improvement programme spanning the entire value chain and its implementation. Our objective is to return the company to sustainable and long-term success and to subsequently support its value, including through strategic add-on acquisitions.
Extensive industry and turnaround experience, combined with transaction-side and operational support, build the foundation for mastering the challenges involved in developing our portfolio companies.
Mutares was established and co-founded in 2008 by Robin Laik and has been growing steadily ever since.
Our Approach
Mutares typically acquires companies or divisions that generate little profit and are no longer part of the core business of a larger corporation and therefore are hived off, or when a change in corporate management makes disposing of those companies or divisions an appropriate course of action.
In particular, we invest in European companies that have plenty of potential for development and already possess established business models – often combined with strong brands. We focus on the following segments:
- Automotive & Mobility
- Engineering & Technology
- Goods & Services
We are especially interested in companies that produce turnover of between EUR 50 million and EUR 500 million.
Once we have acquired a company, we employ a forward-looking corporate strategy and management to raise its long-term value.
In order to do so, we support the companies in our portfolio by putting our experienced team of operational specialists to work to identify opportunities and to exploit potential for improvement profitably and to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, from customers and suppliers to employees and shareholders.
The management and the employees of the companies that we acquire are essential in tackling the changes that come with optimising operations. The success of all our work ultimately depends on the skills, dedication and team spirit of employees. We are convinced that only by working together can a company’s value be increased by any significant measure. Giving employees and the management a stake in the company’s success is therefore a key part of our development strategy.
Furthermore, when devising the customised strategies for the individual companies in our portfolio, we call upon both tried and tested entrepreneurial methods and creative and unconventional approaches. In each case, we follow five principles:
- Entrepreneurship
- Operational methods
- Growth
- Sustainability
- Teamwork
Whenever making a decision, Mutares keeps organic growth and the lasting success of the companies in its portfolio in mind. This takes time. That’s why we invest for the long term and give our companies the time they need to increase turnover and profitability and to consolidate their market positions.
Once restructuring is complete, we are not content merely to hold, manage and monitor the performance of our investments, but we employ active investment management to ensure that we are constantly investigating new business opportunities and helping to make the most of them. In order to drive the sustainable development of our portfolio and the achievement of our ambitious growth targets, we regularly examine add-on acquisitions and pursue a focused buy-and-build approach.
We create sustainable value
Mutares sees itself as an investor who actively supports its portfolio companies in defining and implementing extensive turnaround and optimization programs with the goal of aligning the company for long-term growth.
Sustainable management is therefore an integral part of our business activities. In doing so, it is our goal to strike a balance between all stakeholder groups’ interests while taking into account environmental issues. Green technologies, resource-saving production methods and energy from renewable sources are the key to a holistic approach. We also ensure that our portfolio companies comply with and implement environmental, social and corporate/governmental values and standards.
Illustrative environmental measures at portfolio companies
Our portfolio companies are also socially committed; the Donges Group for example supports the charitable association Aid Kenya Watoto e.V., founded in the Rhineland, and thus the work for deaf children in Kenya. In addition to supporting the ones in need, Mutares is naturally keen to create a socially fair environment for its own employees. We pay attention to regulated working hours, adequate wages, fair conditions at the workplace and diversity, as well as training and further education opportunities. Compliance with occupational safety and health protection is strengthened by the introduction of a “zero accident” safety culture. In the past year, for example, Kalzip GmbH set an internal company record of more than 1,000 accident-free days.
In addition to the measures taken within the portfolio companies, Mutares is also aware of its responsibility for sustainability and has consequently opted for holistic ESG integration.
Mutares also pays attention to the compliance and implementation of ecological standards in its investments. In total, 36% of Mutares’ portfolio is ISO 14001:2015 certified – the highest standard for preventing environmental damage.
Link to: Gemini Rail GroupGemini Rail Group
Gemini Rail Group
Gemini Rail Group has founded a new “GemECO” product line with a focus on hybrid retrofitting for existing rolling stock.
Link to: CenpaCenpa
Cenpa
In 2020, Cenpa was awarded the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate, an environmental seal that rewards companies with outstanding traceability of their production and helps promote responsible management of the world’s forests
Link to: Balcke-Dürr GroupBalcke Dürr
Balcke Dürr
Balcke Dürr (and other portfolio companies) has achieved a reduction in energy consumption through an extensive LED retrofit program and a renewal of the entire heating and hot water supply in the production plant.
Link to: TréfilUnionTréfilUnion
TréfilUnion
TréfilUnion focuses on the production of “green wire” with the aim of increasing the recycling of wire waste as well as environmentally friendly production and packaging.
Link to: STS GroupSTS Group
STS Group
The STS Group is committed to integrating its QHSE1) .- policies into employee culture with programs that address environmental impacts and support climate change initiatives.
Link to: BEXityBEXity
BEXity
With BEXgreen BEXity enables a sustainable solution and a low-emission transport e-mobility and rail.
Offices
Career at Mutares
What sets Mutares apart from other holding companies is its understanding of entrepreneurship.
That is because for us, an entrepreneurial way of thinking and acting manifests itself in two basic principles:
1. Engaging actively, operationally and locally
2. Following a sustainable, long-term strategy
We do not aim merely to offer suggestions from afar, but regard ourselves as team members and partners to the various companies in our portfolio, working together on the process of restructuring.
In order to build up a successful team, every one of our employees contributes a unique set of experience, knowledge, skills and character traits. Amidst all this diversity, we are nonetheless united by the following values, characteristics and guiding principles:
- Entrepreneurship
- Growth and development
- Responsibility
- Dedication
- Teamwork
