DGAP-News: SMT Scharf AG acquires majority interest in electronics specialist

SMT Scharf AG acquires majority interest in electronics specialist

Hamm, April 4, 2019 - SMT Scharf AG (WKN 575198, ISIN DE0005751986), one of the world's leading suppliers of customised transport solutions and logistics systems for underground mining, has acquired 51 percent of the shares in ser elektronik GmbH, based in Möhnesee. The acquisition price lies in the mid six-digit range in euros. With this investment, SMT Scharf is consistently pursuing its growth strategy and expanding its portfolio to include valuable expertise in the electronics and controls area.

In the course of regulating age-related succession at ser elektronik, SMT Scharf also secured the option to acquire further shares in the company. SMT Scharf has already been working together with the electronics specialist, which develops customer-specific electronic controls and components, for more than 20 years. The systems, which are integrated into SMT Scharf's transport solutions for coal and non-coal mining, are manufactured in-house. In 2018, ser elektronik achieved revenue of around EUR 3 million and EBIT of more than EUR 300 thousand.

Hans Joachim Theiss, CEO of SMT Scharf AG, comments on the acquisition: "We are pleased that we have now successfully completed our investment in our long-standing partner ser elektronik. This strengthens our automation and data management capabilities and helps us develop innovative mine modernisation solutions for mining companies."

Against the background of electrification, Big Data is becoming increasingly important in the mining industry. "For mining companies, it is important to make underground operations and maintenance as efficient as possible and to obtain data in real time. In electric vehicles, thanks to the specific expertise of ser elektronik, we can now supplement our electronic controls with our own battery management systems tailored to customer requirements. In this way, SMT Scharf can offer mining machines operators optimized batteries, and provide advice on operating concepts for the machines," notes Hans Joachim Theiss.
 

Company profile
The SMT Scharf Group develops, manufactures and services transportation equipment for underground mining as well as for tunnel construction. The main products are captivated railway systems that are deployed all over the world, primarily in hard coal mines, but also in mines for gold, platinum and other metals. They are needed to transport material and personnel with payloads of up to 48 tonnes and on gradients of up to 30 degrees. In addition, SMT Scharf supplies the mining sector with chairlifts. Through the newly acquired mining specialist RDH Mining Equipment, the company also offers rubber-wheeled diesel and electric vehicles for mining and tunnel construction. As a leading supplier of battery-operated vehicles harnessing lithium-iron technology for underground mining, RDH completes the portfolio of SMT Scharf with its varied product portfolio, ranging from front-end loaders and scissor lifts through to underground trucks. Overall, the SMT Scharf Group is active with subsidiaries in eight countries, as well as commercial agencies worldwide. SMT Scharf generates a large share of its revenue in growing foreign markets such as China, Russia, Poland and South Africa. SMT Scharf AG has been listed in the Prime Standard (Regulated Market) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2007.
 

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Thorben Burbach
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