Clifford Chance has advised KUKA AG, Augsburg, on its subscription of a 51% stake in the Reis group as part of a capital increase. The parties also agreed that KUKA AG will have the opportunity to acquire the remaining 49% of the group's capital from the members of the Reis family at a later point in time. The parties have agree not to disclose the economic terms of the transaction. The transaction is subject to clearance by the German Federal Cartel Office.

The Reis group comprises around 20 subsidiaries worldwide, employing 1,350 people and generating turnover of EUR 160 million. Reis develops and produces industrial robots and robot steering systems for various  industrial sectors. The group's central part Reis GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik in Obernburg am Main, Germany, with approximately 850 employees.

KUKA AG is one of the leading developers, producers and suppliers of industrial robots and developers of automatic production processes in the world.

The Clifford Chance team was led by partner Dr. Andreas Dietzel (Corporate, Frankfurt) and comprised partner Dr. Christof-Ulrich Goldschmidt, senior associate Dr. Lars Laeger, counsel Jörg Futter, associate Florian Lechner and transaction lawyer Julia Wahls (all Corporate, Frankfurt), counsel Dr. Anette Gärtner and associate Mathias Klement (both IP, Munich), partner Dr. Stefan Simon and associate Jörg Salzmann (both Labour Law, Frankfurt), as well as partner Marc Besen and senior associate Nadia Esken (both Antitrust Law, Düsseldorf).