goetzpartners advised Silverfleet Capital

Fortlane Partners advised Silverfleet Capital with a Commercial Vendor Due Diligence on the sale of their portfolio company Pumpenfabrik Wangen GmbH ("Wangen Pumpen"), a leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality progressive cavity and twin screw pumps for highly viscous or abrasive substances and solid-fluid composites to Atlas Copco AB ("Atlas Copco"), a Swedish multinational industrial company with circa 40,000 employees and customers across 180 countries. It is publicly listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and has generated circa € 10.8 billion sales in 2021. Wangen Pumpen manufactures products for various end markets, including biogas, food & beverage, agriculture, and wastewater treatment.

The Commercial Vendor Due Diligence comprised a detailed business model analysis including a comprehensive product and aftermarket service portfolio assessment as well as an analysis of Wangen Pumpen's superior engineering approach and technological edge. Fortlane Partners developed a detailed market model including both historical and future development for the global progressive cavity and twin screw pumps market as well as an assessment of underlying market trends and drivers in each of the addressed end markets, e.g., the impact of regulatory changes on the installed base of biogas plants and the increasing digitization of the pump industry to optimise total cost of ownership (TCO). Further, an in-depth analysis of substitution dynamics in the positive displacement pumps market was performed. Fortlane Partners assessed the competitive environment and customer structure of Wangen Pumpen determining its leading offering of high-quality products tailored to customers’ specific pumping requirements and use cases for mission-critical applications as a key pillar for customer loyalty. The Commercial Vendor Due Diligence also included a thorough assessment of Wangen Pumpen's business plan as well as beyond the plan opportunities.

We have already conducted the Commercial Due Diligence of Pumpenfabrik Wangen for Silverfleet Capital in 2017, when they acquired the business. Since then, we have conducted several commercial and strategic projects in the industrial pump and fluid control space, underlining our competence as advisor of choice in the industrial vertical.

“We have worked with Fortlane Partners´ Commercial Advisory team numerous times. We always value their deep sector and methodological knowledge. The Commercial Vendor Due Diligence report supported interested parties in better understanding Wangen Pumpen’s commercial situation.”
- Benjamin Hubner, Partner at Silverfleet Capital

About Pumpenfabrik Wangen "Wangen Pumpen"
Founded in 1969 and based in Wangen, Germany, Pumpenfabrik Wangen is a market-leading manufacturer of screw pumps that are suitable for highly viscous or abrasive substances, as well as solid-fluid composites. The company, which employs circa 250 staff, manufactures products for various end markets, including biogas, food & beverage, agriculture, and wastewater treatment. In 2021, Pumpenfabrik Wangen generated sales of circa € 50 million. Under Silverfleet Capital’s ownership, the company increased sales, expanded its international presence, predominately in the US market, and extended its product portfolio by acquiring the Germany-based business unit for progressive cavity pumps (MX line) from Knoll Maschinenbau GmbH.

About Silverfleet Capital
Silverfleet Capital is a Pan-European mid-market private equity firm, having completed more than 128 buyouts in companies across Europe. Silverfleet Capital invests in international companies operating in several different countries, where there is an opportunity to accelerate growth, through strategies such as internationalisation, buy and build, and roll-out.

Transaction team:

Dr. Gerrit Schütte
Managing Director
 

David Oesterschlink
Manager

Elena Franco
Senior Consultant

Marc Fischer
Senior Consultant

Maximilian Hankammer
Associate Consultant