Oppenhoff & Partner advises Södra Timber on the acquisition of Klausner Holz Niedersachsen

Press Release 28 April 2010

The Klausner group is selling the tools and systems of Klausner Holz Niedersachsen (KHN) in Adelebsen to the Swedish Södra group, which focuses on logging and wood processing, but also operates in the field of renewable energies. The group’s overall turnover in 2009 exceeded EUR 1.7 billion. The sawmill in Adelebsen is being dismantled in its entirety and rebuilt at the site in Väro in southern Sweden. Through this investment, the annual production capacity of currently 275,000 m³ will be virtually tripled to 750,000 m³. The building work in Värö will commence in summer 2010: The start of production is envisaged for spring 2011.

Södra Timber SA has had an annual production to date of about 1.7 million m³ construction timber and is one of the leading producers in Europe. The enterprise operates 10 sawmills in southern Sweden and distributes its products primarily in the Netherlands, Great Britain and the USA.

The Klausner group is one of Europe’s largest wood-industry enterprises. It predominantly produces standard sawn timber products primarily used in the building and packaging industry. The group has a total of five sawmills as well as several distribution companies with about 1,500 employees.

An Oppenhoff & Partner team, led by Dr. Hanno Goltz (corporate law/M&A), extensively advised Södra Timber on this transaction. Further team members were Dr. Lars Böttcher, Henning Fischer, Dr. Peter Etzbach (all M&A), Peter Hützen (labour law), Silvanne Helle, Vanessa Pickenpack (commercial), Dr. Christoph Poertzgen (insolvency law) and Georg Lecheler (IP).

About Oppenhoff & Partner

Oppenhoff & Partner is an independent law firm located in Cologne. It sees itself as a top-ranking legal adviser of enterprises and entrepreneurs, offering a broad range of advice on commercial and tax law. With more than 55 lawyers, it focuses on the provision of advice to regional, national and international major and medium-sized enterprises. Oppenhoff & Partner’s clients include Ford, Hannover Rück, Johnson & Johnson, M. DuMont Schauberg, RWE, United Airlines, Vattenfall and the Zurich Group.


Contact at Oppenhoff & Partner

Elmar Salinger
Public Relations Manager
Tel: +49 (0) 221 2091-315
elmar.salinger@oppenhoff.eu