Highlander Partners Backs Polish Rotary Tooling Business Rotometal
Warsaw, May 8, 2017 — Highlander Partners, a private equity firm investing in North America and Central Europe, announced today the acquisition of a significant equity interest in Rotometal, a manufacturer of precise tools for the printing and label industry. Acquiring Highlander as an investor will allow Rotometal to further accelerate its expansion.
Rotometal is a bespoke producer operating on the niche market of cylinders for narrow-web flexographic printing with a favorable location in western Poland. Rotometal’s magnetic and print cylinders are crucial precision tools for manufacturers of self-adhesive labels for consumer products. The company successfully competes with the world’s largest players in its market segment due to its unique technical know-how, as well as customer relationships developed over many years. Rotometal is the #1 producer of rotary tooling for printing machines in Poland and has a significant market share in Europe.
“As experienced investors, we admire the rapid growth of Rotometal up to date, as well as the exceptional competencies of the founder and the team. Rotometal operates in an attractive market with a defensible position, as very few manufacturers are able to deliver the level of precision demanded by customers. The company’s high value added and global footprint creates potential for further growth. At the same time, Rotometal’s area of specialization is developing very dynamically in Poland, where both local and multinational label printers successfully operate”, says Dawid Walendowski, Managing Partner at Highlander Partners Central Europe.
Following Highlander Partners’ acquisition, the founders of Rotometal, Barbara and Joachim Setnik, will remain the co-owners of the company and its managers. Shareholders’ joint objectives and plans include organic expansion through increasing the product range and entering new export markets. Joachim Setnik commented, “I am delighted Highlander Partners and Rotometal have become business partners. I expect Highlander to help us manage the company’s dynamic growth and resulting larger scale and complexity of the business. We also count on our investor’s help in further global expansion, including in Asia, where Rotometal has been growing the fastest.”
About Highlander Partners
Highlander Partners is a US private equity firm with offices in the USA and Poland. The firm manages over $1.2 billion of assets and focuses on making investments in businesses in targeted industries in which the principals of the firm have significant operating and investing experience, including basic manufacturing, food, chemicals, building materials, consumer products and others. Currently, Highlander Partners’ equity investments in Central Europe are: Rotometal (specialized tools production for the printing industry), QFG (food processing), and the Akomex/Druk-Pak Group (packaging products manufacturing). Three other investments (MEDI-system, ZREW Transformatory and ProService) have been successfully exited.
About Rotometal
Rotometal flagship products are bespoke magnetic and print cylinders for flexographic printing machines. The company operates in a single location in Świebodzin, Poland and employs 110 workers. It was established in 2006 by charismatic entrepreneur Joachim Setnik who has 25+ years of work experience in the European rotary tooling industry. Rotometal exports 80% of its production around the globe, including Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Transaction advisors
Gessel acted as legal advisor to Highlander Partners in this transaction. FSG was Rotometal’s transaction advisor.
Additional information
Highlander Partners – Dawid Walendowski, Managing Partner, dwalendowski@highlander-partners.com, tel. +48 22 521 04 20
Rotometal – Joachim Setnik, President, rotometal@web.de, mob. +48 664 943 851