The corporate team at the Manchester office of leading national law firm Shoosmiths has advised on the strategic acquisition of an innovative digital payments solutions provider based in the North West.

The public markets deal, a second in as many months for the team, involves AIM-listed ThinkSmart Limited, an Australia-headquartered company with 100 staff based in Old Trafford, Manchester, selling 90% of its shareholding in its subsidiary company ClearPay Finance.

On 11 July 2018 De Brauw advised Danish Crown subsidiary Tulip Food Company to acquire Dutch bacon manufacturer Baconspecialist Zandbergen for an undisclosed figure.

Other advisors
Deloitte - financial advisor to Danish Crown A/S; QConcept - financial advisor to Baconspecialist Zandbergen, Gorrissen Federspiel Private Limited Partnership, Barbara van Hussen

De Brauw team
Anja Mutsaers (Lead Partner), Joel Erwteman, Colette de Bel and Ingeborg Struijkenkamp

Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised Japan-headquartered Akatsuki Inc. (Akatsuki) on its acquisition of Spain-headquartered PROFESSIONAL ESPORTS LEAGUE, S.L. (PEL) to bring PEL in as a subsidiary company.

Dr. Rainer Herschlein and his team of lawyers advised WhiteGreyBlack GmbH on the acquisition of a majority stake in Radeberger Fleisch- und Wurstwaren Korch GmbH from the previous shareholders, the Korch family, and accompanied the transaction. SIB Innovations- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH became a minority shareholder as part of the transaction.

Effective August 1, 2018, TRUMPF GmbH + Co KG acquired Swiss company Teufel Solutions AG. A team led by Dr. Hermann Ali Hinderer, Partner at Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, advised the technology company on the transaction.

With the acquisition of Teufel Solutions AG, TRUMPF strengthens its portfolio around digitally networked manufacturing. Teufel Solutions has expertise in areas including TruTops Fab and TruConnect, which complement TRUMPF’s Industry 4.0 activities.

Munich – Munich-based mid-market investor AFINUM has acquired all the shares in ChainMaster Bühnentechnik GmbH through its portfolio company LIFTKET Hoffmann GmbH. Following the acquisition, LIFTKET and ChainMaster intend to further expand the development and manufacture of hoists and controls for precise and safe positioning of lighting and sound equipment. The parties agreed not to disclose details of the purchase price.

A team led by Dr. Georg Streit, Partner at Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek’s Munich office, advised Ring International Holding AG on the acquisition of automotive supplier BOA Balg- und Kompensatoren-Technologie from its German insolvency administrator. Lead counsel on the transaction, carried out by transferring assets as well as shares in subsidiaries, was Austrian law firm Brandl & Talos Rechtsanwälte GmbH.

International law firm Gowling WLG has acted for dnata, one of the world's largest air services providers, on its acquisition of Germany-based tour operator Tropo from ProSiebenSat.1 Group.

dnata provides ground handling, cargo, travel and flight catering services for more than 300 airlines at 130 airports in 84 countries worldwide. The company, an undertaking of Emirates Group, is headquartered in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and employs more than 41,000 people worldwide.

Mayer Brown represented The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:HIG) in connection with its deal to acquire The Navigators Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NAVG) for approximately $2.1 billion.