A German-Polish team from Noerr has advised the Schwarz Group retail group on the takeover by its GreenCycle affiliate of the Tonsmeier group of companies in Germany.
According to Noerr, "GreenCycle is taking over the fifth largest player on the German waste disposal market. Tonsmeier is based in Porta Westfalica, Germany, and is also active on the Polish and Dutch markets. It achieved sales of around EUR 500 million with a workforce of more than 3,000 last year. GreenCycle organizes the collection and recycling of all recyclable materials for the Schwarz Group generated in the stores and logistics operations of Lidl and Kaufland – around two million tonnes of recyclable materials a year in Europe. The takeover, which was agreed with the owners, the Tonsmeier family, is still to be cleared by the competition authorities. The parties have agreed not to disclose the selling price."
The Noerr team was led by Munich-based Corporate Partner Florian Becker, and included, in Germany, Partners Maurice Seche, Alexander Janecke, Christian Alexander Mayer, Wolfgang Schelling, Ralph Schilha, Tim Uschkereit, and Nikolai Warneke, and Associates Bernd Baumer, Benjamin Jahn, Klaudyna Lichnowska, Marijke van der Most, Carl-Wendelin Neubert, Susanne Rummel, Hendrik Schlutt, Bianca Sterly, Pinar Turkac, and Franziska Zahoranky.
The Warsaw team included Partners Agnieszka Besiekierska and Arkadiusz Ruminski and Associates Maciej Gorgol and Pawel Radek.
“We are delighted to have seen an increasing number of transactions in recent months involving our German and international advisors together with lawyers of Noerr from our CEE regional practices including our Warsaw office," commented Jorg Menzer, Partner & Head of CEE Offices at Noerr.
“Given the nature of the business (waste management) the transaction required a comprehensive analysis of the Polish and EU regulatory framework," added Arkadiusz Ruminski. "The scope of operations of seven Polish entities subject to the transaction further added to the complexity of the deal.”
