Biel, 1 February 2012, 7:00 a.m. The Mikron Group will acquire IMA Automation Berlin GmbH from the Feintool Group with retroactive effect from 1 January 2012. Mikron Holding AG and Feintool International Holding AG agreed on the sale yesterday afternoon. IMA Berlin is a successful supplier of automation solutions for the automotive and solar industries.

By integrating the company as an independent unit within its Automation division, the Mikron Group will be strengthening its position in the German market in particular. The entire management team and workforce of IMA Automation Berlin will be transferring to Mikron. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price. The acquisition is subject to approval by the German Bundeskartellamt (competition authority).  
 
IMA Automation Berlin has been a successful provider of customer-specific assembly solutions to the German automotive industry for many years. Furthermore, the company has recently made a name for itself as a manufacturer of contacting systems for the solar industry. IMA Berlin, which currently has a workforce of 70, had a successful year in 2011, generating sales of EUR 11 million. It has kicked off the current financial year with a good level of orders on hand.
 
Mikron Automation is one of the world´s leading supplier of customer-specific, high-performance automation solutions for the high-precision assembly of up to hand-sized products. Customers in the pharmaceutical, medical and automotive industries accounted for the majority of the division´s sales of CHF 88 million (EUR 73 million) in fiscal year 2011. Geographically, Mikron Automation`s main markets are in western Europe and the USA. It is currently expanding its market presence in Asia. The division had a workforce of about 450 at the end of 2011.
 
"Mikron and IMA Berlin are an excellent match for each other," said Rolf Rihs, COO of Mikron Automation. "Acquiring IMA Berlin will strengthen our division´s position in its core market of Germany as well as augmenting our existing activities in the automotive industry in ideal fashion. At the same time we will be able to expand IMA Berlin´s solar business in a targeted fashion."
 
"In Mikron we are delighted to have found a buyer that is a good strategic and operational fit for IMA Berlin," said Heinz Loosli, CEO of the Feintool Group, commenting on the sale. "This will safeguard the site´s continued development over the long term."