F.EE has been acquired by One Equity Partners

F.EE GmbH, one of Germany’s leading providers of innovative solutions in mechanical engineering, automation hardware, cabinet control, software and robot programming, has been acquired by One Equity Partners. This transaction will strengthen the private equity firm’s operations in the industrial automation space. The sellers have reinvested and will remain involved in the business for the coming years.

Founded in 1982 by two brothers, F.EE has evolved from a service provider for industrial customers in Germany into a highly profitable technology and implementation partner for internationally operating automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tier-1 suppliers and machinery and plant engineering companies, while maintaining a strong mid-sized customer base. The company operates across four business segments: control systems and automation; mechanical engineering for components, robotics applications and production systems; industrial IT and software; and energy technology. Its products and services include grippers, robot palletizing systems, robot gluing systems, universal movement axes, robot accessories, conveyance technology, vertical robot lifters, robot programming, cabinet control, virtual commissioning, electrical assembly and installation and EDP and network technology. F.EE employs approximately 1,050 people and operates in Europe, North America and China.

One Equity Partners is a middle-market private equity firm focused on the industrial, healthcare and technology sectors in North America and Europe, with approximately US$16 billion in assets under management. It has significant expertise in the industrial automation sector. The firm aims to build market-leading companies by identifying and executing transformative business combinations. It has a differentiated investment process, a broad senior team and an established track record generating long-term value for its partners. Founded in 2001, it spun out of JP Morgan in 2015 and has offices in New York, Chicago, Frankfurt and Amsterdam.

Oaklins’ team in Germany acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to F.EE’s shareholders and management throughout the entire sales process, including exit readiness, valuation, buyer approach, management presentations, due diligence management and negotiation of the terms and the share purchase agreement (SPA) through to closing.