J.G. Weisser Söhne Saved – Management acquires traditional engineering company

The business operations of J.G. Weisser Söhne GmbH & Co. KG have been saved. Through a management buyout (MBO), a consortium of four long-standing executives is taking over the business operations of the long-established mechanical engineering company and will continue to operate the company under the name J.G. Weisser GmbH.

In December 2024, the Local Court (Amtsgericht) of Villingen-Schwenningen appointed attorney Marc-Philippe Hornung, partner at SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz, as the administrator (Sachwalter). In this role, he is overseeing and monitoring the self-administration proceedings in the interests of the creditors until their successful conclusion.

J.G. Weisser Söhne specializes in high-precision multifunctional lathes and automation solutions. After the company ran into financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent insolvency of its U.S. parent company, Hardinge, it filed for insolvency proceedings under self-administration in September 2024. Business operations continued under self-administration for approximately 21 months, while a structured investor process was carried out in parallel. The management solution reached lays the foundation for the long-term continuation of the company and secures 156 jobs at the St. Georgen location for the long term.

Marc-Philippe Hornung expressed his relief: “I am extremely glad that such a positive result could be achieved at the end of this highly demanding process, as this was truly no easy road for everyone involved. My deepest thanks also go to the workforce, customers, and partners for their patience and consistently constructive cooperation in the spirit of a collaborative restructuring.”

SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH: Marc-Philippe Hornung (Administrator/ Sachwalter), Katja Schmitt (both Restructuring and Insolvency Law, Mannheim)

Successful collaboration within the advisory network

The complex restructuring and subsequent transaction were supported by a well-coordinated network of advisors. The operational restructuring was managed by the general representatives from Anchor Rechtsanwälte (Markus Fauser, Tobias Wahl, David Blum) together with CRO Ansgar Lienert. Legal M&A advice for the seller was provided by Taylor Wessing (Dr. Hendrik Boss, Julia Siedhoff, Christian Benko), while allea (Lars Steinhagen) provided business management support and Roland Berger (Christoph Burkhardt) assisted with the M&A process.

SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH

SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz has been one of the most respected German business law firms for 125 years. With its lawyers and offices in Frankfurt, Mannheim, Munich, and Brussels, the firm advises national and international clients on all complex legal issues arising in business.