The leading manufacturer of road signage, Landwehr Schilderfabrik, fits perfectly into the active and passive road safety equipment business of WEMAS Group.
The Germany based WEMAS Group has reached an agreement with the owner family of Landwehr GmbH Schilderfabrik to acquire all shares of the German company. The new subsidiary is the leading manufacturer of road signage in Germany. WEMAS is one of the leading suppliers of active and passive road safety technology. The two majority owners of WEMAS, Gimv and PARAGON, support the continuous growth of the group. In June 2018 WEMAS has expanded into mobile, active road safety and stationary road technology through the acquisition of Gerding GmbH.
Landwehr was founded in 1974 by Klaus Landwehr. His son, Jan-Dirk Landwehr, has been Co-Managing Director since 1991 and leads the business alone since 1999. After completion of the transaction, he will continue to develop the business as managing director. Within over 40 years since foundation, Landwehr has developed into one of the most renowned manufacturers of road signage in Germany. The product range includes the necessary posts and masts, safety beacons and lights, as well as signage of any form and size.
WEMAS is a leading partner for wholesalers and road safety service providers, especially in road barrier technology such as protective barriers, delineators, base plates, warning lamps and road cones. At the end of 2017, the investment companies Gimv and Paragon Partners jointly acquired a majority stake in WEMAS and started implementing a targeted growth strategy. This includes, inter alia, the expansion of the core business and the international business as well as the entry into adjacent markets of road safety. A few months after the investment, Gerding Verkehrstechnik GmbH, a specialist supplier of active road safety equipment in Germany, was integrated into the group.
Centum Capital has advised the buyer in 2017/18.
”Landwehr is one of the most progressive road signage manufacturers in Germany and has gained a particular competitive advantage in recent years through strong investments in digital printing. We are delighted about this significant add-on acquisition to our group. Together we will leverage synergies and mutually benefit from our experience”, says Markus Schwinn, Managing Director of WEMAS.