ACROTEC: VERTICAL INTEGRATION IN THE SUPPLY SECTOR
Acrotec is probably one of the most important players in the watch supply industry. Operating in the Watchmaking, Medtech and Precision High-Tech sectors, in 2019 this group of some twenty companies, currently employing 1,200 people, generated turnover of CHF 233 million with net profits of CHF 13.8 million, compared to 8.5 million in 2018. (Editor’s note: The Carlyle Group, the US private equity giant, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Acrotec. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.)
At the time of writing this article, we have just learned that the global investment company The Carlyle Group, based in Washington DC, had agreed to buy Acrotec, which supplies the watch and medical technology industries, from Castik Capital for an “undisclosed sum”.
Reuters reported last October that Castik Capital was readying Acrotec for a sale worth up to 950 million Swiss francs ($1.07 billion) including debt. Acrotec supplies high-precision industrial applications to the watchmaking and medtech industries, as well as to the electronics, aerospace and auto sectors. It employs around 1,200 people.
This partnership will “leverage Carlyle’s healthcare expertise and network, seeking to broaden Acrotec’s MedTech business with expansion into new services and geographies in Europe and in the United States”, Carlyle said.
Europa Star talked with François Billig, CEO of Acrotec (Editor’s note: prior to the announcement of the acquisition by The Carlyle Group) :
Acrotec vertical integration in the supply sector
