The MAHLE Group increases its holding in automotive workshop equipment specialist BrainBee to 80 percent

The MAHLE Group has increased its holding in BrainBee, an automotive workshop equipment specialist, to 80 percent of the company’s shares. After a strategic minority holding of 20 percent was agreed in September 2017, MAHLE Aftermarket is now taking another important step toward becoming a solutions provider. With this majority acquisition, MAHLE Aftermarket is significantly expanding its European presence in the area of equipment and services for workshops.

• MAHLE is now holding 80 percent of shares in BrainBee
• Expansion of development, production, and service in Europe
• BrainBee becomes part of MAHLE Aftermarket

STUTTGART, 24-May-2018 — /EuropaWire/ — MAHLE Service Solutions, MAHLE Aftermarket’s workshop equipment business segment, has already been working with BrainBee for some time on the development and production of workshop equipment. BrainBee was founded in 2001 and brings comprehensive expertise in the development and manufacture of A/C service, diagnostics, fluid management, and exhaust gas measuring equipment.

In September 2017, MAHLE acquired a 20 percent share in the Italian workshop equipment specialist. MAHLE is now increasing this share to 80 percent. The group intends expand the BrainBee activities with its currently approx. 110 employees. “The BrainBee expertise in fields such as A/C service, diagnostics, fluid management and exhaust gas measurement complements our portfolio extremely well. In the future, we’ll be able to offer vehicle workshops and manufacturers an even broader range of equipment and services,” says Olaf Henning, Managing Director of MAHLE Aftermarket. “The latest example of the results of our cooperation so far has been the EmissionPRO 180 exhaust gas measuring unit, which we developed and produced together. And at this year’s Automechanika we will launch further new, commonly designed products.”

“This further step confirms our will to fully share with the MAHLE group our extensive experience and knowledge as well as the many patents and numerous awards that BrainBee has acquired over the years,”says Carlo Rocchi, CEO and founder of BrainBee. “Since the beginning of our cooperation with MAHLE, we have introduced important innovations in order to meet the requirements of the most important markets. Combining the strengths of MAHLE with BrainBee’s expertise provides a strong foundation for continuing to deliver innovative and high quality products and services both to the aftermarket and original equipment market.”

The integration of BrainBee strengthens the position of MAHLE Service Solutions in terms of research and development, production, and sales. Customers worldwide will benefit from the additional European location in Parma/Italy, where cutting-edge workshop equipment will be developed and manufactured. With its global platform development, MAHLE is improving the efficiency of its production thus ensuring advantages to all customers worldwide. Another advantage is that European customers now have access to an even denser sales and service network.

About MAHLE

MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry as well as a pioneer for the mobility of the future. The MAHLE Group is committed to making transportation more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and more comfortable by continuously optimizing the combustion engine, driving forward the use of alternative fuels, and laying the foundation for the worldwide introduction of e-mobility. The group’s product portfolio addresses all the crucial issues relating to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—both for drives with combustion engines and for e-mobility. MAHLE products are fitted in at least every second vehicle worldwide. Components and systems from MAHLE are also used off the road—in stationary applications, for mobile machinery, rail transport, as well as marine applications.

In 2017, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 12.8 billion with around 78,000 employees and is represented in more than 30 countries with 170 production locations. At 16 major research and development centers in Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Spain, Slovenia, the USA, Brazil, Japan, China, and India, about 6,100 development engineers and technicians are working on innovative solutions for the mobility of the future.

About MAHLE Aftermarket

MAHLE Aftermarket, the business unit specializing in spare parts, uses the expertise from the series production of original equipment in its automotive aftermarket product range, and supplies trade, workshop, and engine repair partners. MAHLE Aftermarket is represented at 25 locations and other sales offices worldwide, with around 1,600 employees. In 2017, the business unit achieved a global sales volume of EUR 956 million.

For further information, contact:

MAHLE GmbH
Bettina Schlegel
Corporate Communications | Public Relations
Pragstraße 26–46
70376 Stuttgart/Germany

Phone +49 711 501-13185
E-mail: bettina.schlegel@mahle.com

SOURCE: MAHLE GmbH