M&A Advisory: Industrial products

The industrial products sector is in a constant state of change. Digitalisation has noticeably increased the pressure to innovate for industrial companies – not least because of the speed with which new technologies are penetrating the market. The “Internet of Things” and Industry 4.0 pose new challenges for the industry: the value of a machine no longer derives from its production capacity as such, but is increasingly measured by the share it has in a value chain networked in real time via cloud solutions. Industry 4.0 is no longer based on machines, but on entire factories. Manufacturing processes are to become digital, smart and transparent. And the orientation towards sustainable management is constantly placing new demands on machines and production processes. The industrial companies of the future are thus transforming themselves from manufacturers of standardised hardware to providers of comprehensive, intelligent solutions that are integrated into the value chain and tailored to the customer’s needs. At the same time, the traditional business of industrial companies has not become easier. External factors such as trade barriers and increasing protectionism pose significant sales risks. On the production side, the ongoing shortage of skilled workers, vulnerable supply chains and issues such as compliance and data protection present a major challenge.

Strategic acquisitions are therefore a suitable way for many companies to achieve inorganic growth and drive their own digital transformation. This, however, requires a well thought-out and ongoing acquisition strategy. The focus should be on the following topics: 

  • a needs assessment and screening of potential targets
  • carrying out due diligence, investigation on the target company (legal, financial, tax, human resources, environmental, etc.)
  • the valuation of the target company
  • identifying, evaluating and leveraging synergies (delivering deal value)
  • the carve-out of assets that do not belong to the core business, business modelling of the target company, and sustainability analyses and creating and measuring brand awareness.

What we can do for you

Our industrial products specialists within the Deals team will assist you with your transaction. We help you in preparation and successful implementation, thus creating added value for your company. We are as international as you are. As a partner alongside you, we not only provide our own independent view of market developments, but also bring in our entire expertise in strategic, tax, financial, operational and valuation-related issues. Every transaction is only as good as its implementation. Building on our tailor-made solutions, we can help you to identify and exploit further value creation potential post-closing. We help you to sustainably increase the value of your company with the right transaction – you can benefit from our specialised industry know-how and a global network of experts.

An overview of our services

  • Initiating and structuring deals – from target search to negotiations and successful closing
  • Industry-focused and tailor-made due diligence – from the market side to financials, tax and operations, globally from a single source
  • Identification of value creation potential and support in optimising tax and financing structure
  • Involvement of industrial products specialists from our global network or specialists with functional expertise
  • Support throughout the entire transaction cycle – from the transaction strategy and extensive due diligence to carve-out or post-merger integration

Contact us

Sascha Beer

Sascha Beer

Partner, Corporate Finance / M&A Leader, PwC Switzerland

Tel: +41 58 792 15 39

Nico Psarras

Nico Psarras

Partner, Transaction Services, PwC Switzerland

Tel: +41 58 792 15 72

Marc Schmidli

Marc Schmidli

Partner, Deals Leader, PwC Switzerland

Tel: +41 58 792 15 64

Michael Huber

Michael Huber

Director, Deals Industrials & Services, PwC Switzerland

Tel: +41 58 792 1542