CrossLink GmbH & Murtfeldt Gruppe
Through the acquisition of CrossLink, the Murtfeldt Group is expanding its own range of services and products in the lightweight construction sector with an eye to the future.
The main business areas of CrossLink GmbH, Cadolzburg near Nuremberg, are in the field of medical technology, almost all branches of mechanical engineering and the automotive industry. In many areas they coincide with the range of products offered by Murtfeldt’s subsidiary carbovation GmbH, Friedrichshafen, but in terms of technology CrossLink offers a consistent expansion of the manufacturing processes already in use. Thus, high-quality components up to a length of five metres and a diameter of around two and a half metres can now be manufactured on an additional 3000 square metres in the area of prepreg autoclave technology. The RTM and press technology also enable larger series quantities and component qualities with Class A surface quality; components with a size of up to three and a half x two and a half metres can be reworked in-house using milling technology.
In recent years, the Murtfeldt Group has positioned itself in this area in a future-oriented and holistic manner with a focus on growth and further opportunities in hybrid lightweight construction. So far, this market segment has been covered by the Murtfeldt subsidiary carbovation GmbH, Friedrichshafen.
“The acquisition of CrossLink GmbH from Cadolzburg is a perfect addition to our range of products and services,” explains Detlev Höhner, Managing Director of the Murtfeldt Group. “CrossLink is a proven player in the fibre-reinforced lightweight construction sector. Our customers will benefit even more from the broader spectrum of manufacturing technologies in the future,” Höhner continues.
Depending on the number of pieces and component complexity, customers will in future be able to choose from an even larger portfolio of manufacturing processes, which will also expand the consulting and design services. “With CrossLink, we have taken over 50 employees who will advise our customers together with the carbovation colleagues in Friedrichshafen in order to find the right solutions for tasks in the field of fibre-reinforced components,” emphasises Höhner.
Atares* advised CrossLink throughout the entire M&A process. Following the successful sale of CrossLink’s thermal insulation business in 2020, this was the second transaction that atares advised CrossLink on. The services provided included the preparation of marketing materials, the approach of potential investors including management presentations as well as the support in the due diligence and negotiation of the transaction. The atares transaction team: Dr. Axel Deich (Associate Partner, Munich) and Andreas König (Senior Associate, Munich).
About the Murtfeldt Group
Murtfeldt has a track record of more than 60 years in the field of engineering plastics. The Dortmund-based company became known for its innovative solutions as a supplier to the mechanical engineering industry. Today, these solutions are produced on request using a wide range of common manufacturing processes. With increasing importance as a supplier of standard products as well as individual prefabricated parts, Murtfeldt has consistently strengthened its skills in the field of machining in recent years – with Murtfeldt Kunststoffe and Murdotec Kunststoffe in Dortmund, Mata in the Netherlands and Murt-feldt Plasty in the Czech Republic. In order to expand its position as a holistic provider of solutions for international mechanical engineering, the Murtfeldt Group also added 3D printing technology to its portfolio with Murtfeldt Additive Solutions in Tübingen and the development and production of lightweight components with carbovation in Friedrichshafen. The current addition of the Cadolzburg-based company crosslink in autumn 2021 optimally completes the further expansion of the latter division under the claim “High tech. Low weight”. Further information at www.murtfeldt.de
About CrossLink
CrossLink is a leading manufacturer of composite components with a focus on the medical technology, mechanical engineering, automotive and anti-ballistic sectors and produces milled parts and milled workpieces made of steel, aluminium, titanium, fibre-reinforced plastics and thermoplastics. The range of services extends from prototypes to small and medium series. Further information at www.crosslink-gmbh.com
About atares
Atares is the digital M&A boutique for technology-driven midcap companies in Germany and sees itself as a pioneer for the digitalization of the M&A industry. Founded in 2001, atares has advised more than 200 transactions in more than 20 years. The focus is on transaction volumes between EUR 10 and 100 million of mostly owner-managed companies. Since November 2023, the company formerly known as Proventis Partners, Munich, has been operating under the new company name atares GmbH. Atares has long-standing personal contacts with corporate and Private Equity investors and M&A advisors in Europe, North and South America and Asia. Highly specialized expertise for the market, empathy for people and passion make atares a sought-after M&A partner for the tech champions of tomorrow. More than 20 employees at atares in Munich and Düsseldorf manage their projects via the in-house developed digital M&A dealfloor (dealfloor.co) – for value-adding, efficient transactions with the best user experience.
Team
*At the time of the transaction, atares traded under the name Proventis Partners GmbH Muenchen
