HOERBIGER Safety Solutions aquires Brilex

Apr 7, 2016

Zug / Brilon, April 7, 2016 – Effective April 1, 2016, the HOERBIGER Group in Zug, Switzerland, acquired privately held BRILEX Gesellschaft für Explosionsschutz mbH, headquartered in Brilon, Germany. BRILEX is a leading explosion protection provider. All interests in the company were previously privately held by founder Martin Bunse. The parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.

BRILEX is a leading provider of passive explosion protection products and offers more than 20 years of application experience, having produced far in excess of 100,000 explosion vents. Mitigating the effects of potential dust or gas explosions, explosion vents made by BRILEX prevent devastating damage to the high-value assets of the process industry. As a result, they protect people and the environment alike.

In Europe, BRILEX's patented explosion vents developed in-house make the company a leader in the field. The firm has a direct sales organization and an international network of distributors. The portfolio additionally includes flameless venting systems, which ideally complement the range of HOERBIGER explosion relief valves.

The reputation and knowledge of BRILEX will enable HOERBIGER to further expand the Group's existing competencies in the industrial core business and tap valuable synergies, especially in the passive explosion protection field. At the same time, the acquisition of BRILEX will strengthen HOERBIGER's leading role as a developer, manufacturer, and global provider of performance-defining, and increasingly safety-defining, components and services for the oil, gas, and process industries.

With the acquisition of IEP Technologies, LLC, Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA in September 2015, and that of Newson Gale, Nottingham, United Kingdom, in January 2016, HOERBIGER laid the foundation for broadening its engagement in safety technology. BRILEX's range of products complements the portfolio of the new Safety Solutions Segment with respect to passive explosion protection, a market segment where HOERBIGER has been an innovation and technology leader for relief and check valves for decades. Along with the active explosion protection portfolio from technology leader IEP Technologies, this combines comprehensive explosion protection solutions under one roof.

HOERBIGER additionally offers BRILEX a global network of service branches, ensuring maximum proximity to the customer at the worldwide locations of the oil, gas, and process industries.

"Safety and explosion protection technology continues to hold attractive development potential. Together, HOERBIGER and BRILEX have excellent global growth opportunities," said Dr. Martin Komischke, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of HOERBIGER Holding AG. "Our goal is to position HOERBIGER even more strongly as a safety technology solution provider in the industrial process industry with performance-defining safety solutions."

"I was looking for a buyer that would ensure the continued development of BRILEX and provide the employees with long-term prospects," commented Martin Bunse, founder of BRILEX. "What convinced me was the option offered by HOERBIGER of expediting BRILEX's growth more quickly and effectively, in order to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by the rapidly growing market. Under the umbrella of the HOERBIGER brand, we will have exceptional opportunities to advance our successful growth strategy."

About HOERBIGER

HOERBIGER is active throughout the world as a leading player in the fields of compression technology, drive technology and hydraulics. In 2014, its 7,000 employees achieved sales of approximately 1.1 billion euros. The HOERBIGER brand is synonymous with performance-defining components in compressors, industrial engines and turbines, automobile transmissions, and multifaceted mechanical engineering applications. Innovations in attractive technological market niches are the basis for components, systems and services that offer unique selling propositions and long-term benefits for the customer.
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