Lamy moves with Hennerkes to Hengeler customer Mitsubishi Penseli

The company said that the owner’s family sought a buyer in a difficult process. The process will now be effectively completed by the sale of all the company’s shares. Lamy was looking for a strong partner to further develop the digital writing growth area and expand international sales, it said. A Lamy spokesperson did not provide any information on the sale price after the request.

Lamy employs more than 340 people and has stores in more than 80 countries. The family business was run by the third generation. According to a media report, Heidelberg’s sales decreased significantly due to the Corona crisis, from 110 million euros in 2019 to a forecast of 77 million for 2023. According to the report, major innovations and digitization efforts did not take place.

The pencil buyer Mitsubishi was founded in 1887 and put the number of its employees at 2,700. The company, which operates 22 sales offices and 11 manufacturing facilities worldwide, is also family-run.

Berater Mitsubishi pencil
Hengel Mueller (Frankfurt): Dr. Annika Clauss, Dr. Frank Burmeister (both lead; both Corporate/M&A), Dr. Vera Jungkind (antitrust law; Düsseldorf), Dr. Markus Ernst (Tax Law; Munich), Dr. Christian Hoefs (labor law), Christian Dankerl (antitrust law; Brussels), Dr. Matthias Rothkopf (IP/IT; Düsseldorf); Partners: Dr. Caspar Conzen, Niklas Lewicki, Dr. Laura Rothmann, Guglielmo Ziani (both Corporate/M&A), Dr. Thomas Kosmider (Düsseldorf), Lino Völzke (Brussels; all antitrust laws), Dr. Sebastian Adam, Julia Gramer (Munich; all tax law), Dr. Andreas Kaletsch (labor law), Kira Fritsche (IP/IT; Düsseldorf), Dr. Talbot Zander, Jean Friedrich Härtelt (both real estate law)

Advisor to the family that owns Lamy
Hennerkes Kirchdörfer & Lorz (Stuttgart): Prof. Andreas Wiedemann (leader), Dr. Christian Klein-Wiele (both Corporate/M&A), Dr. Sebastian Matenaer (Tax); Partner: Christian Wurmthaler (Corporate/M&A)
Falk (Heidelberg): Dr. Alexander wants (rent)

The consultant who loses the tender
Gleiss Lutz (Stuttgart): Dr. Anselm Christiansen (guide); Partners: Dr. Yixiao Li, Josefine Wiegand (Berlin), Sumiko Sato (Munich; all Corporate/M&A) – known from the market.

The consultant who loses the tender
Gleiss Lutz (Frankfurt): Dr. Michael Burian (conductor); Partners: Dr. Antonius Mann, Ivana Robitzsch (Hamburg), Sonja Hilgert (Berlin; both Corporate/M&A) – well known from the market.

background: Hengeler Mueller’s role for the buyer was based on the proposal of the Japanese division Mori Hamada & Matsumoto. The law firm advises Mitsubishi Penseli in Japan. Clauss and co-leader Burmeister regularly advise authorities in the region as members of the Asia Desk division. In the second half of 2023, the team assisted Taiwanese company AUO in acquiring Lippstadt-based Behr-Hella Thermocontrol, a joint venture between automotive suppliers Hella and Mahle.

According to reports, a team from Deloitte supported the tax issues of Lamy’s business acquisition.

Stuttgart boutique Hennerkes has been supporting family-run companies and their shareholders for many years, including providing tax advice. Partner Wiedemann has been a member of Lamy’s advisory board since 2008 and has close ties to the entrepreneurial family.

The law firm was responsible for coordinating the entire process. In addition to contract drafting and negotiation with due diligence, his work also focused on tax preparation.

Heidelberg partner Falk Wunsch has also been the family’s long-term tax advisor. Falk is also the company’s auditor.

According to market reports, at least two other Japanese companies made bids; they were advised on separate missions by Gleiss Lutz teams from Stuttgart and Frankfurt, led by senior partners Christiansen and Burian.

Lamy commissioned Mannheim-based management consultancy Imap as M&A advisor. Senior partner Karl Fesenmeyer was in charge there. (with material from dpa)