International law firm Salans has advised Axtone sp. z o.o., a Polish expert in impact energy absorption technology for rail vehicles, on its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Langen & Sondermann GmbH & Co. KG (L&S) from its family owners and managing director Dieter Schmidt. L&S is a leading European provider of coil and leaf springs for rolling stock in the railway industry. Axtone is a portfolio company of private equity firm IK Investment Partners.

The acquisition will enable L&S to enter new markets and expand its product line. It is part of Axtone's long-term strategy of rapid growth based on new product development, geographical expansion and consolidation of railway components industry. Current managing director Dieter Schmidt will continue to stay with L&S in the future.

The Salans team, which was led by Partner Piotr Dulewicz and Counsel Dr. Volker Junghanns (both Corporate and Private Equity), advised Axtone on a broad number of legal areas across three different jurisdictions.

Piotr Dulewicz and Dr. Volker Junghanns concurred: ”We are delighted to have advised Axtone on its acquisition of L&S. The transaction is a great example of the private equity team’s ability to provide local knowledge and seamless cross-border expertise in a private equity environment.”

Advisors to Axtone:
Lead: Dr. Volker Junghanns (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt) and Piotr Dulewicz (Corporate/Private Equity, Warsaw). Counsels: Dr. Sabine Walz (Tax), Dr. Veit Vossberg (Employment, both Frankfurt). Associates: Christoph Breithaupt (Corporate/Private Equity, Frankfurt/Warsaw), Michal Wasiak (Corporate/Private Equity, Warsaw), Dr. Josef Hainz (Competition), Sebastian Krieg (Tax, both Berlin), Manuel Merling (IP) and Boris Strauch (Regulatory, both Frankfurt).

In addition, the team included a team in Ukraine for merger clearance: Oleg Batyuk (Partner) and Boris Schwarzer (Associate).

Key Contacts:

Dr. Volker Junghanns
Counsel, Salans Frankfurt

E: vjunghanns@salans.com
T: +49 69 45 00 12 350

Annette Spencer
Global Head of Media Relations, Salans London

E: aspencer@salans.com
T: +44 207 429 6029
M: +44 7739 774 873

Irina Batmanova
Business Development & Marketing Manager, Salans Kyiv

E: ibatmanova@salans.com
T: +380 44 494 47 74

Salans LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales with Registration Number OC 316822.  Regulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority of England and Wales. A list of the members of Salans LLP and of the non-members who are designated as partners of Salans LLP and/or its affiliated entities is available at its Registered Office: Millennium Bridge House, 2 Lambeth Hill, London EC4V 4AJ, United Kingdom.