World Grain - March 2013 - 84

SUPPLIERNEWS

Pritzker Group acquires Intersystems
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S. — The Pritzker Group announced on
Jan. 15 that it acquired Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.-based Intersystems,
a leading designer and manufacturer of specialized material handling
equipment serving the global agriculture industry.
The company’s products can be found in grain elevators, grain
processing plants, feed mills, rail loading sites and ports in over 30
countries worldwide. The entire Intersystems management team invested alongside The Pritzker Group and will continue to lead the
company. The company was purchased from private investors for an
undisclosed price.

“We see great opportunities for Intersystems in the world grain and
feed markets,” said Tom Schroeder, Intersystems’ chief executive ofﬁcer. “The resources of The Pritzker Group will ensure our continued
growth by helping us add new products and services to better meet
the needs of our customers.”
“Intersystems has grown signiﬁcantly under Tom and his team’s
stewardship, and we are proud to partner with them,” said Michael
Barzyk, vice-president of The Pritzker Group. “Intersystems serves
as a great example of our strategy to invest in leading companies
serving the global agricultural market.”

Bühler acquires shares of Maes SA
UZWIL, SWITZERLAND — The Bühler
Technology Group said on Jan. 24 that it
has agreed with the existing owner-family to
acquire 100% of the French company Maes
SA. This opens up additional prospects for
Bühler in France and related markets, in
particular in the ﬁeld of customer service,
Bühler said.
Maes SA, which was set up in 1974 and
is headquartered in Haguenau, France, specializes in products and services for the grain
milling industry. The machinery of this family operated company includes equipment
for remachining grinding rolls of roller mills
(regrinding and corrugating/ﬂuting) as well
as for manufacturing and retensioning plansifter sieves (used for grading grain particles
after grinding on a roller mill).
Maes SA has already been an important
distribution partner of Bühler for France
and other French-speaking markets in North
and West Africa up to now, including aftersales service. The company has a little over
50 employees and generates annual sales of
about €35 million. The parties have agreed

From left: Daniel Maes and Albert Maes of Maes SA and Bühler’s Hans-Joerg Ill, Anders
Kristensen and Thomas Lieberherr sign an agreement in which Bühler will acquire 100%
of the French company Maes SA.
not to disclose the selling price.
With this acquisition, Bühler is continuing
its market penetration and expansion of its
service business in the ﬁelds of installation,
customer service, maintenance, overhauls,

and roll reconditioning. The company, whose
operations will continue to be headed by the
existing management, will be integrated as
part of the Bühler France organization in the
sales and services division.

Bühler 2012 net profit remains constant
UZWIL, SWITZERLAND — The Bühler Technology Group reported on Feb. 1 net proﬁt of CHF 161 million ($177.8 million) for 2012,
level with results from the previous year.
The company said it increased its order intake by 5% to CHF
2.345 billion and its turnover (sales revenue) increased by 13% to
CHF 2.409 billion. The company noted that acquisitions accounted
for the rise in order intake.
As a result of substantial investments, the EBIT margin declined to
7.3% from the previous year.
For the current ﬁscal year, Bühler said it expects sales revenues at
the same level as 2012 and a return to a double-digit EBIT margin.
Of the three divisions, Grain Processing as well as Food Processing booked somewhat higher orders, whereas the orders received
by the Advanced Materials division were consolidated at the record
84

level of the previous years.
Geographically speaking, developments varied widely. With 12%
less orders received, Europe was especially disappointing, Bühler said.
On the other hand, North America grew sharply at 44%. The company
also reported an increase of 13% and 7% in China and the Middle East/
Africa, respectively.
In all, the orders received from emerging countries for the ﬁrst
time exceeded 50% of the group’s total volume.
Turnover rose by 13% to CHF 2.4 billion. Adjusted for acquisitions, it exceeded the value of the previous year by 5%. The sharpest rise in sales was achieved by the Advanced Materials division
(+47%) and was mainly driven by acquisitions. Grain Processing
boosted its sales on a purely organic basis by 7%, whereas the revenue of Food Processing was 3% below the value of a year ago.
March 2013 / World Grain / www.World-Grain.com

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World Grain - March 2013

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