Schenck Process GmbH, the German maker of equipment for weighing, dosing and filtration, is making news in Europe and in the United States.
In Europe, the company's private equity owner has pulled it off the market. In the U.S., Schenck AccuRate Inc. has joined with sister company Mac Process Inc. to form a unified Schenck Process North America Inc.
Citing banking sources, Reuters reported Aug. 14 that officials of European private equity company IK Investment Partners have decided not to sell Schenck Process, saying two offers were too low.
The news service said two remaining bidders, Bain Capital Partners LLC and Rhone Capital LLC, made offers for Schenck but the offers were rejected and they pulled out.
Schenck Process would not get into specifics, but Christoph Harr, head of business development and marketing, confirmed that the company is no longer on the selling block.
“Our investors evaluate all the time if it's the right moment to sell the company. They did that, and they decided not to sell the company,” Harr said in a telephone interview from the company's headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany.
Meanwhile, in July, Schenck AccuRate in Whitewater, Wis., and Mac Process of Kansas City, Mo., established Schenck Process North America to work closer together as one supplier to the market. Schenck Process GmbH acquired Mac Process in 2011 when it bought Clyde Process Solutions plc of Doncaster, England.
Mac Process makes pneumatic conveying and air-filtration systems. Schenck AccuRate makes gravimetric and volumetric feeders, bulk bag discharging equipment, vibratory feeders and other products.
When it is officially launched Jan. 1, Schenck Process North America will be a one-stop shop for conveying, weighing, feeding or air filtration. The sister companies will integrate sales teams focused on light products such as plastics, chemicals, food and pharmaceuticals, and heavy products such as steel, cement and building materials.
Jay Brown directs the combined businesses as president and CEO. Dirk Maroske is chief operating officer.
The AccuRate and Mac brand names will remain. Existing operations in Whitewater; Kansas City; Sabetha, Kan.; Houston and Milford, Ohio, will remain largely unchanged, according to the companies.
