Henkel AG & Co. KGaA to acquire all shares in Spotless Group SAS for 940 million euros

Henkel strengthens its successful Laundry & Home Care business

• Strengthen leading position in core region Western Europe
• Highly complementary market segments and technologies
• Acquisition of strong brands and leading technologies
• Profitable businesses with laundry aids, insect control and household care

Düsseldorf, Germany, 10-6-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Henkel AG & Co. KGaA signed an agreement with funds advised by BC Partners today to acquire all shares in the Spotless Group SAS, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. The transaction, including debt, is valued at 940 million euros and will be financed in cash.

The Spotless Group mainly operates in the areas of laundry aids (laundry sheets, stain removers, fabric dyes), insect control and household care in Western Europe. Among the leading brands of the company are Eau Ecarlate, Dylon, Grey and Catch. In the fiscal year 2013, the company generated sales of about 280 million euros. The Spotless Group holds leading market positions in established European markets such as France, Italy, Spain, Benelux and the UK, and employs about 470 people.

“This acquisition is part of Henkel’s global strategy to selectively invest in attractive country category positions in mature markets“, said Henkel CEO Kasper Rorsted. “By acquiring the Spotless Group, we will strengthen our market position and enter highly profitable growth segments. The transaction will be immediately accretive to earnings.”

“The leading brands and technologies of the Spotless Group are a perfect fit for our portfolio with regard to business segments and regions and offer potential for future profitable growth,” explained Bruno Piacenza, Executive Vice President and responsible for Henkel’s Laundry and Home Care business.

The acquisition is subject to approval from antitrust authorities and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015 at the latest. This document contains forward-looking statements which are based on the current estimates and assumptions made by the corporate management of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. Forward-looking statements are characterized by the use of words such as expect, intend, plan, predict, assume, believe, estimate, anticipate, forecast and similar formulations. Such statements are not to be understood as in any way guaranteeing that those expectations will turn out to be accurate. Future performance and the results actually achieved by Henkel AG & Co. KGaA and its affiliated companies depend on a number of risks and uncertainties and may therefore differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Many of these factors are outside Henkel’s control and cannot be accurately estimated in advance, such as the future economic environment and the actions of competitors and others involved in the marketplace. Henkel neither plans nor undertakes to update forward-looking statements.

Contact
Lars Witteck
Head External Communications | Headquarters, Düsseldorf / Germany
Phone +49-(0)211-797-2606
Fax +49-(0)211-798-4040

Wulf Klüppelholz
Head Media Relations | Headquarters, Düsseldorf / Germany
Phone +49-(0)211-797-1875
Fax +49-(0)211-798-4040

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Dylon