ATON buys all the shares of Schmidt-Seeger AG
Pressemitteilung: Beilngries, 21. 12. 2006
The farming company Schmidt Seeger was taken over by ATON GmbH, Fulda. Up to now 98% of the registered shares belonged to Willibald Schmidt and 2% to the chairman of the board, Konrad Meier. Engineer Schmidt who belongs to the founder family, has been working for the company since 1957, was the chairman of the executive committee up until 2000 and since that time part of the Board of Directors. The annual turnover of Schmidt Seeger AG amounts to 100 million Euros.
One of the leading farming companies
Schmidt Seeger AG with headquarters in Beilngries (Free State of Bavaria, close to Ingolstadt) employs 371 employees and is active world-wide as a farming company experienced in Grain Management. The company was established in 1929 and has expertise in storage, drying, transport and processing of grain as well as of other bulk materials in the food and animal feed sector. In malting and wholemeal technology Schmidt Seeger AG is one of the leading farming companies with activities world-wide. The traditional German enterprise is well known for its first-hand solutions. The product portfolio of the Bavarian grain specialists extends from the building of individual machines up to the conception, establishment and start-up of large plants.“I am glad that with the take over by ATON the succession of the company has become clear. It was very important to me that Schmidt Seeger should come into the hands of a company lead by the proprietors. ATON GmbH with its owners, the family of Dr. Helmig, stands for strategic handling and possesses a unique know-how in Grain management. It will continue to provide my commitment towards our employees and customers ", said engineer Willibald Schmidt (73), son of Michael Schmidt, and joint founder of the company.
Growth potential in Grain-Management
Dr. Lutz Helmig speaks about growing demand: “We observe the market in the context of our existing investments in Romania. We therefore know that Grain Management has a large medium-term potential. Both the increasing industrialization and larger consumer strength of the developing countries, as well as the new plants for the production of bio fuels drive the demand”. Schmidt Seeger seized this trend promptly and developed plant, which is needed in the preliminary stage for the bio fuel production. Dr. Fenneberg will join the existing executive committee. ATON has agreed with him the investments and the targets. The capital stock of the company will increase by around 3 million Euros, and 7 million Euros remain available for investments as a company loan.Beside the head office in Beilngries - where 251 employees work in a modern 22000 square meter production facility - there is a branch in Döbeln near Leipzig (production and powder varnish, 81 employees) as well as business premises in Plüderhausen near Stuttgart (planning and construction of Malt plants, 39 employees). Beyond that participation exists in Austria, Spain and Algeria as well as at the TSO Industrieanlagen Planung und Vertrieb GmbH, which specialises in the Non Food range of bulk materials. For ATON and AGRI Konzept S.R.L. (Romania, cultivation and subsequent processing of grain in Romania and abroad, 27 million Euros turnover) Schmidt Seeger has just constructed a silo complex with a capacity of 500,000 tons.
A silent agreement was made regarding the purchase price of Schmidt Seeger AG. The takeover requires the permission of Kartellbehörden (Monopolies & Mergers Commission).
