Together with existing management, Ardian, the independent private investment
company, is acquiring d&b audiotechnik GmbH (“d&b’) from the investment
companies Odewald & Compagnie and COBEPA.
d&b specializes in acoustic systems and has operations worldwide. The participation
in d&b is already the 13th investment by Ardian LBO Fund V, which is capitalized at
€2.8 billion. As part of the transaction, the existing management team, led by CEO
Amnon Harman, Markus Strohmeier (Managing Director, Technology and
Operations), Frank Bothe (Director R&D), Kay Lange (Director Finance), Hans-Peter
Nudling (Director Sales & Services) and Sabina Berloffa (Director Marketing) will
also take a stake in the company, thus ensuring continuity for the further successful
development of d&b. With the support of Ardian, the company plans to further
strengthen its leading global position. The parties have agreed not to reveal details
of the transaction, and the conclusion of the transaction is still subject to approval
by the relevant antitrust authorities.
Since the company’s acquisition by Odewald & Compagnie and COBEPA in 2011,
sales have more than doubled from €44 million to €94 million in the financial year
2015. The number of employees has also risen sharply from 200 in 2011 to around
350 today. Working alongside management, emphasis was placed on the
internationalization of the company, the management team was strategically
expanded, and the sales team was strengthened considerably. One of the main
growth drivers at product level was the strategic development of the market for
permanently installed audio systems, which was vigorously pursued in recent years,
building on d&b’s outstanding market position in the area of mobile systems. As part
of the internationalization process, new subsidiaries were founded in Europe, the
USA and Japan, and the company’s production capacity was more than doubled. In
particular, d&b achieved strong growth in the USA and Asia. Today, d&b operates in
a total of more than 70 countries.
Amnon Harman, CEO of d&b, said: “Everything at d&b is about creating the best
sound possible. We are therefore in an excellent position to benefit from the
increasing expectations of professional audio technology at events, concerts and
large shows worldwide. Together with our new shareholder Ardian, we particularly
want to further develop in the Asia-Pacific, South American and North American
markets and further expand our leading position in our European home market. On
the product side, we will continue to expand the business with permanently installed
systems and the development of new, innovative audio solutions. We would like to
thank our former shareholders Odewald & Compagnie and COBEPA for their support
over the past years – they set the strategic course for our success today and
specifically invested in helping us reach our growth potential.’
Fabian Wagener, Director at Ardian, added: “Over the past three decades, d&b has
become a premium brand in the professional audio technology sector and has
shown outstanding organic growth. We are convinced of the company’s innovative
strength, its results-oriented management team, its dedicated employees and the
resulting growth perspectives. Together with management, we will refine the
existing product portfolio and provide important impulses for the further
international growth of the company.’
