Kiefel Extrusion, the blown film extrusion lines business to be sold by Brückner to Reifenhäuser

Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co. KG Maschinenfabrik, Troisdorf and Brückner Technology Holding GmbH, Siegsdorf announce that retroactively as of January 1, 2009 all their equity interests in Kiefel Extrusion GmbH, Worms, engaged in the blown film extrusion lines business, will be sold by Brückner to Reifenhäuser. With the takeover, Reifenhäuser has substantially strengthened its own commitment to this market segment. Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co KG Maschinenfabrik has taken over Kiefel Extrusion GmbH and in doing so has set the course for growth and market leadership in this business field. Worms will be the headquarters of the new business unit Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion. "With the takeover, we are creating the best prerequisites to consolidate and further develop our leading position in the global market for extrusion lines", says Ulrich Reifenhäuser, managing director of the traditional family enterprise. The group with its seat in Troisdorf is the largest provider of machines and lines for the extrusion of thermoplastic materials worldwide. In 2008, Kiefel Extrusion GmbH together with its subsidiaries realised turnover proceeds of some €40 million. With its approximately 200 employees, the company is among the world’s leading providers of blown film extrusion lines and other machinery for the production and conversion of high-quality flexible films. "Through the joining of our technical competencies at the Troisdorf and Worms sites, we have created the world's largest development and know-how pool in this sector and moved to the top of our market", explains Bernd Reifenhäuser, managing director of the parent company, Reifenhäuser GmbH & Co KG Maschinenfabrik. "Together, we offer the most comprehensive range worldwide of extrusion lines for blown film applications", emphasises Edgar Gandelheidt, former managing director of Kiefel Extrusion GmbH and also future managing director of Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion GmbH in Worms. "This brings benefits to our customers whom we support as innovative partners and of course to our employees for whom we are reliable and solid employers going forward.” In 2007, Brückner acquired the whole Kiefel group of companies from J.M. Gesellschaft für industrielle Beteiligungen mbH & Co. KGaA, Worms. With a total turnover volume of some €120 million in 2008, in addition to Kiefel Extrusion GmbH in Worms, this group also comprises Kiefel GmbH in Freilassing, which together with its subsidiaries achieved a turnover of some 80 million Euros in 2008. World-Leading Technology Center Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion. The new company possesses a global network of its own service and sales companies and has production sites at Troisdorf and Worms. The Reifenhäuser Group operates the largest private technology center for plastics extrusion from which the new company will drive long-term benefits.