Kinstellar and Paksoy, working with Linklaters' Paris office, have advised Plastic Omnium on its EUR 520 million acquisition of Varroc Lighting Systems from Varroc Engineering Limited. PwC Legal, working with Willkie Farr & Gallagher, advised Varroc on the sale of its automotive lighting systems business in the Czech Republic. White & Case reportedly advised a syndicate of banks on financing the transaction. Khaitan & Co, Creel Garcia-Cuellar Aiza y Enriquez, Lefosse, and Bennani & Associes reportedly advised Plastic Omnium in India, Mexico, Brazil, and Morocco, respectively.
According to Kinstellar, Varroc Lighting Systems, "a Tier-1 supplier of automotive lighting systems with sales of approximately EUR 800 million in 2021, will be integrated into Plastic Omnium's new lighting division, which generated pro forma sales of approximately EUR 1 billion in 2021 and employs 7,000 people in 11 plants worldwide."
The Czech leg of the transaction included the sale of the plants in Senov u Noveho Jicina and Rychvald u Karvine.
According to PwC Legal, "Varroc is an American global manufacturer of automotive lights with development centers and production facilities in eight countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Plastic Omnium is a leading global supplier to the automotive industry, employing over 30,000 people in 25 countries and operating 137 manufacturing plants and 31 development centers."
The Kinstellar team included Prague-based Partner Karla Rundtova, Managing Associate Adam Nemec, Senior Associate Petra Ledvinkova, Associates Jakub Stastny, Anna Veselska, Tereza Maskova, Igor Sebo, and Artom Gnedin, and Junior Associates Vit Kopecny and Jan Palko and Sofia-based Partner Nina Tsifudina and Associate Gabriela Ivanova.
The PwC Legal team included Managing Associate Daniel Pikal, Senior Associate Jaroslav Srb, and Legal Consultant Martina Sedlackova.
The Paksoy team included Partner Togan Turan, Counsel Serdar Ildirar, and Associate Melisa Sevinc.
Editor's Note: After this article was published, White & Case informed CEE Legal Matters it had advised lender, agent, and security agent Komercni Banka, as well as Raiffeisenbank a.s., Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka, and Ceska Sporitelna, on the restructuring of the existing financing for Varroc Lighting Systems. The firm's team included Partners Jan Linda and Tomas Jine, Local Partner Martin Fronek, and Associates Ondrej Barton, Klara Kolomaznikova, and Vinh Ngo The.
Subsequently, KP Law informed CEE Legal Matters that it had advised VarrocCorp Holding BV during the share transfer of Varroc Lighting Systems Turkey to Plastic Omnium, as well as on the deal's closing. The firm's team included Managing Partner Onur Kucuk, Associate Partner Ozge Tuncel, and Associate Esra Agic.