Aluminiumfolie Merseburg GmbH had to file for insolvency in January 2018. In the subsequent sales process led by the consulting company Falkensteg, the Slim Group convinced with the best strategic concept. The Italian manufacturer of rolled aluminium products, headquartered in Cisterna di Latina, has been acquired by Quantum from Norsk Hydro in 2015. Already in 2017, Slim expanded its product range and production capacity from 92,000 tonnes to approximately 160,000 tonnes per year through the acquisition of Slim Fusina Rolling Mill (formerly Arconic), located in Venice. The expansion of production capacities, the product portfolio and the technical and operational know-how resulted in a consolidated turnover of more than EUR 340 million. Today, the Slim Group is the sixth largest producer of aluminium rolled products in Europe. The strategic acquisition of Aluminiumfolie Merseburg GmbH strengthens the Slim Group's market position in the field of flexible packaging and technical applications. Mark Gooseman, who has a long-standing experience in the aluminium industry, i.a. the Slim Group, will become general manager of the plant in Merseburg.
Stephan Poppe, lawyer and partner of the law firm ECKERT as well as insolvency administrator in the proceedings: "The sale to the Slim Group provides Aluminiumfolie Merseburg GmbH with an excellent business perspective. The investor has presented a convincing concept for the plant and pursues long-term goals. All the more, I am pleased for the employees of Aluminiumfolie Merseburg GmbH and the customers who have kept the company in the past months. "
Giovanni Fregnan, Managing Director of the Slim Group adds: "The integration of Aluminiumfolie Merseburg GmbH into the Slim Group increases our available production capacity to 170,000 tons per year. In addition to our plants in Cisterna di Latina and Fusina, we are now able to offer our customers a production site in Central Europe and, in particular, strengthen our product range in the field of thin foils from 6μ to 50μ. We are confident that we will be able to fully utilize capacity in a few months' time. We look forward to further developing the group together with the local management team and further expanding our outstanding market position in the European market. "