Voilàp expands in smart factories and acquires Stürtz

Stürtz has revenues of approximately 65 million euros, employs more than 350 people, and has international subsidiaries in Canada, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

With this acquisition, the Voilàp Group aims to further strengthen its position as a global leader in the supply of high-end machinery for the construction of windows and facades, as well as a key player in the field of industrial applications. The acquisition of Stürtz ideally complements Voilàp’s existing portfolio, which already has a consolidated global leadership in aluminum processing machinery through its brands Elumatec, Emmegi, and Tekna, and in glass processing through its brands Keraglass and Mappi. Stürtz Group’s leadership in PVC processing machines adds to the expertise already developed within Voilàp with the production of Someco machinery.

“We consider this operation a unique opportunity to develop an increasingly broad system of intelligent and interconnected machines for the factories of the future. With Stürtz, we acquire unparalleled expertise in automated processes,” said Valter Caiumi, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Voilàp Group. “Over the years we have carried out numerous acquisitions and have demonstrated the ability to restructure complex businesses, improve their competitiveness, and ensure long-term growth. This was the case, for example, with Elumatec, a German company acquired ten years ago that has become a world leader in its sector in perfect synergy with the Group’s other activities.”

The acquisition includes the production plant, the real estate company, machinery, intellectual property, brands, software, workforce, order backlog, and inventories. At the same time, Voilàp will acquire the shares of the international subsidiaries in Canada, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Stürtz’s more than 350 jobs will be maintained in order to safeguard the valuable know-how of its employees. Stürtz will continue to exist as an independent brand and organization.

Voilàp has created an intelligent ecosystem that spans across different sectors, extending into four areas:
> design of Smart Factories, intelligent plants with interconnected machines, big data management, and predictive analytics to optimize performance, reduce downtime, and anticipate customer needs;
> development of Smart Retail, innovative points of sale equipped with screens and software to meet and anticipate customer needs when purchasing windows and doors;
> enablement of Smart Advertising, through the supply of screen systems and software for indoor and outdoor communication;
> provision of hardware and software solutions for Smart Buildings, with the integration of sensors and Internet of Things elements in windows and doors.

The transaction was led by Britta Hübner, restructuring expert and managing director of Hübner Management. The management consultancy Beceptum International acted as advisor for the acquisition, while the international law firm Linklaters served as legal advisor. Intesa San Paolo and Banco BPM supported Voilàp in financing the operation.