Apheon, a leading European investment firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of a majority stake in Hittech Group (“Hittech” or the “Company”), from its founders and a consortium of private shareholders. Hittech is a leading integrated systems supplier that engineers and develops highly complex mechanical and mechatronic components and assemblies. The management team and the private shareholders will reinvest alongside Apheon to actively support the Company’s growth ambitions.
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Hittech is a leading integrated systems supplier that engineers and develops highly complex mechanical and mechatronic components and assemblies for blue-chip OEMs in high-growth markets. The Company serves blue-chip OEM’s active in high-tech industries such as the semicon, medtech, robotics & automation and analytical equipment markets. The Company provides development, engineering, manufacturing and assembly services leveraging extensive mechanic & mechatronics know-how and capabilities. Hittech operates nine well-invested production and clean room facilities in the Netherlands, Germany and Malaysia, employing over 700 people.
The global semiconductor industry is at the forefront of a rapidly changing technological landscape experiencing tremendous structural tailwinds and Apheon believes that Hittech is strategically positioned to capitalize on this growth. Apheon looks forward to supporting the Company and its founders in realizing its growth strategy by further developing the operational footprint and continuing to venture into new geographies and end-markets. The existing consortium of investors will significantly reinvest into the Company with a sizeable minority stake, remaining fully committed to this next phase of development. Hittech’s management team will continue to hold their roles in the Company and will lead the envisaged plans alongside Apheon.
Eric Driessen, CEO at Hittech, commented: “Hittech has experienced strong growth supported by the positive underlying trends of our clients and end-markets and has invested significantly in the development of our people, production capacity and capabilities. For the future we see continued strong demand for our services and look forward to continuing to support our clients in developing the technologies of the future. We are pleased to onboard Apheon as new partner to support us with investments in our existing operational footprint while continuing to grow into new geographies. In Apheon we found our partner of choice to offer strategic guidance and capital to unlock the next phase of growth with a deep network in our markets.”
Pieter Lambrecht, Partner at Apheon and Bas Kea, Director at Apheon, commented: “We are very excited to invest in Hittech, enabling the progression of cutting-edge technologies used in AI, digitization, medtech and many other high-tech end markets. Hittech’s philosophy of innovation, partnership and excellence is very much aligned with our values at Apheon. We would like to thank Hittech and its stakeholders for the trust they have placed in us, and are looking forward to supporting Eric and the team in further developing the Company together.”
About Hittech
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands, Hittech is a leading integrated systems supplier that engineers and develops highly complex mechanical and mechatronic components and assemblies for blue-chip OEMs in high-tech markets. The Company operates an international footprint with state-of-the-art machining and assembly capabilities in 3 countries through 9 operating companies in the Netherlands, Germany and Malaysia, supplying a portfolio of mission-critical components and assemblies. For more information, please visit www.hittech.com.
About Apheon
Apheon is a pan-European mid-market private equity investment company managing ~€3 billion of assets from select global institutional investors and families. Apheon is characterized by its partnership approach, providing “patient and friendly capital” and industrial know-how to entrepreneurs and management teams, preparing their companies for the future. Through its pan European footprint, the firm acts as a gateway into Europe for companies in the mid-market. Since its founding in 2005, Apheon has raised more than €3.5 billion in capital, invested in ~40 companies across Europe and completed ~200 add-on acquisitions for a total aggregate transaction value in excess of €7 billion. Apheon’s current portfolio consists of 20 companies across its target sectors, representing ~€3 billion sales and 22,000 employees. Apheon is advised by Apheon Advisors which has offices in Brussels, Milan, Madrid, Paris, Munich and Amsterdam. For more information, please visit www.apheon.com.
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For more information, please contact:
John Mansvelt, COO, Apheon
T +32 2 213 60 90
jm@apheon.com
Natalia Yek, Head of Investor Relations, Apheon
T +32 2 213 60 90
ny@apheon.com
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