Wuppertal, 25 April 2007 – Today, prime standard-listed holding company, GESCO AG, fully acquired VWH Vorrichtungs- und Werkzeugbau Herschbach GmbH, located in Herschbach near Montabaur, as part of a succession agreement. VWH specialises in automation technology, mould construction and sensor technology, and generates an annual turnover of around EUR 9 million with its staff of 100.

The plant was established in 1962 and was purchased in 1994 by the two managing partners Dr. Egbert Eymann und Dr. Hans-Dieter Rheinfeld, who have now sold to GESCO. The company’s core competence is the development and manufacture of complex part and fully automated production systems for the assembly of components, which include the appropriate testing technology. VWH specialised as a niche provider in custom machine engineering for the automation technology segment, mould construction for injection-moulded plastics machines and inline-systems for producing sensors. Additionally, the company possesses sound expertise in 3D-MID technology, which opens up new possibilities for sensor technology in three-dimensional circuit board construction.

VWH supplies to well-known companies in the automotive and supplier industry as well the electrical and electronics industry. The company can draw on a high level of technical expertise and provides its clients with a supportive partnership right from the development phase. VWH defines itself as a development provider, producing templates and prototypes for its clients’ new products and ultimately supplying moulds and systems for serial production of the relevant components.

ESCO AG is acquiring VWH as part of a succession agreement; the current management will be available for the transition phase and for the orientation phase of their successor. When selling the company, the owners’ main priority was to find a long-term focussed investor who would promote the continuation and further development of the company at its current location. The transaction was facilitated by aspect corporate advisors GmbH in Bad Honnef.

GESCO Board member, Dr. Hans-Gert Mayrose, commented: “VWH is an attractive addition to our portfolio. The company possesses impressive technologies, some of whose application possibilities it has only begun to explore. We see prospects for growth both in Germany and abroad.