Category: News

Weinhold Legal has provided Czech and Slovak assistance to Henry Schein, which the firm describes as “the world’s largest provider of health care solutions for office-based dental and medical professionals,” in relation to the spin-off of the company’s animal health business.

As a result of the spin-off, Covetrus was launched as a newly-formed company arising from the combination of two businesses – Henry Schein Animal Health and Vets First Choice. The merger was completed on February 7, 2019.

Henry Schein announced that as part of the spin-off, it received approximately USD 1.1 billion in what is expected to be tax-free proceeds. According to Weinhold Legal, “following the spin-off of Animal Health, Henry Schein will have more than 18,000 Team Schein Members in 31 countries, serving more than 1 million customers. Covetrus is headquartered in Portland, Maine, with more than 5,000 employees, serving over 100,000 customers around the globe.”

Weinhold Legal reports that its services included assisting with a corporate demerger in the Czech Republic, multiple share transfers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and various related corporate law, labor law, contractual, and regulatory matters. The firm’s team was led by Partner Daniel Weinhold, working in cooperation with Managing Attorney-at-Law Vaclav Straser.

Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati and Law Office Leskovec have advised CA Immo on the sale of the Austria Trend Hotel in Ljubljana to a joint-venture of Slovenian asset manager KD Skladi and German real estate investment manager Peakside Capital. Selih & Partners advised the joint venture on the acquisition.

The transaction, which closed in January 2018, represents the sale by CA Immo of its only hotel in Slovenia. 

CHSH’s team was led by Vienna-based Partner Mark Krenn. 

The Law Office Leskovec’s team was led by Partner Vid Leskovec. 

The Selih & Partners team consisted of Partner Blaz Ogorevc and Senior Associates Sanda Planinc and Miha Stravs.

ODI Law has advised Austrian multinational Knapp AG on its acquisition of a majority stake in Slovenian logistical software solution company Epilog.

ODI Law describes Knapp AG as a joint-stock company, seated in Graz, Austria, that is “one of the leading providers of all-in-one intralogistics solutions, automated warehouse systems, and logistics software solutions.” According to the firm, “Knapp is present across the globe in 38 different locations with more than 4,200 employees. In the fiscal year 2017/2018 its order volume amounted to 926 million euros.”

ODI Law provided legal due diligence of Epilog, an initial competition analysis, and drafted and negotiated the agreement on the sale of shares. The firm’s team was led by Senior Associate Suzana Boncina Jamsek, with competition aspects covered by Partner Tine Misic. 

Slovenian Attorney at Law Gorazd Buda advised the seller, Epilog Skupina. 

Glimstedt has advised the Apollo Group on its acquisition of a network of KFC restaurants operating in Lithuania and Latvia from the Cibus Group. Cobalt and Addlaw reportedly advised the sellers.

The Glimstedt team consisted of Partner Andrius Ivanauskas, Senior Associates Jurgita Zakarauskiene and Edvard Gasperskij, and Expert Giedre Rimkunaite-Manke.

Editor’s Note: After this article was published Cobalt announced that Vilnius-based Associate Justinas Kondratas led the firm’s team on the deal.

Kinstellar has advised Neuraxpharm Group on the acquisition of Farmax from SVUS Pharma in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. BBH reportedly advised SVUS Pharma on the sale.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Farmax, located in Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, is a central nervous system (CNS)specialty pharmaceutical company and a distributor of both branded and non-branded generics pharmaceuticals for CNS disorder in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Farmax will be renamed Neuraxpharm Bohemia and will commercialize its products under the Neuraxpharm brand. 

Neuraxpharm Group is a European specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of CNS disorders, and it is a part of the APAX portfolio group of companies.

Kinstellar’s team was led by Partner Lukas Sevcik and included Senior Associates Tereza Naucova and Adam Nemec, Associate Martin Holub, and Junior Associates Michal Matous, Tereza Maskova, and Vaclav Kment.

Editor’s Note: After this article was published BBH confirmed its involvement in the deal. The team was led by Partner Tomas Sedlacek, assisted by Senior Associate Alice Nytrova and Associate Ondrej Stanek.

TGS Baltic has advised Sweden’s LMT Group AB on the acquisition of PLM Group companies in Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Iceland. The LMT Group was also advised by Sweden’s Wesslau Soderqvist Advokatbyra and Finland’s Hasto & Co.

The LMT Group is a technology trading group consisting of Ravema, with operations in Sweden, Norway, and Finland, and Din Maskin, with operations in Sweden and Norway. In partnership with the PLM Group, the LMT Group will create a platform as a basis for the company’s future competitiveness. 

The PLM Group is the Dassault Systemes SolidWorks’ partner in Northern Europe serving customers in a range of industries in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. The company was established in 2009 and provides product design and software solutions services. 

PLM Group also resells 3D printing machines from 3D Systems, HP, and MarkForged.  

The PLM Group’s companies include PLM Group Latvija SIA in Latvia; PLM Group Eesti OU in Estonia; PLM Group Sverige AB in Sweden; PLM Group ApS, PLM Group A/S, PLM Group 3DX ApS, and PLM Group 3D Printing ApS in Denmark; PLM Group Suomi Oy in Finland; PLM Group Norge AS in Norway; and Pronor ehf in Island.

The signing of the acquisition was announced on November 30, 2018. The acquisition-driven changes were registered in January and February 2019.

The transaction relates to Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Iceland.

TGS Baltic’s team was led by Partners Andra Rubene and Kadri Kallas, supported by Associates Reinis Grunte and Kart Raud.

Cobalt has advised London-based Vink Group, Europe’s largest semi-finished plastics distributor, on its acquisition of three Baltic companies, OU Proplastik, SIA Proplastik, and UAB Proplastik. TGS Baltic advised the Proplastik shareholders on the transaction. Financial details were not disclosed.

Proplastik, which was founded in 1996, is a plastic distributor with offices in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The group’s annual revenue is approximately EUR 20 million and it employs over 40 people in the Baltics. According to Taavi Reigam, CEO of Proplastik OU in Estonia, the transaction is an important milestone for the group: “Proplastik is now part of the leading international player in the sector. It allows to further improve our product offering and service level to our customers across the Baltics. It is good news for all our clients and employees.”

Vink Group operates as a federation of over 100 independent businesses in 16 European countries and China, with approximately EUR 100 million of inventory in its network of warehouses and factories. 

Cobalt’s pan-Baltic assistance was led by a team from its Estonian office consisting of Specialist Counsel Ott Aava, Partner Peeter Kutman, Associate Liina Saaremets, and Assistant Lawyer Kerli Paasoja. Partner Guntars Zile, Senior Associate Elina Locmele, and Associates Diana Zepa and Juta Gulkevica from Cobalt’s Latvian office and Senior Associates Inga Mazvilaite and Jovita Valatkaitc from the firm’s Lithuanian office assisted on local matters.

Editor’s Note: After this article was published TGS Baltic announced that it had advised the owners of Proplastik in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on the deal. The firm’s team was led by Estonian Partner Sander Karson, supported by Associate Sille Rastas. Riga-based Partner Andra Rubene and Associate Reinis Grunte assisted on Latvian matters and Vilnius-based Partner Dalia Tamasauskaite-Ziliene and Associate Indre Vickaite-Liatuke assisted with respect to Lithuanian matters.

Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has advised Interbrands on the sale of 60% of the company to Orbico, one of the largest distributors of consumer goods in Central and Eastern Europe. Deloitte Legal advised Orbico on the deal, which remains contingent on the approval of the Romanian competition council.

The transaction is part of a wider international deal, in which Orbico will take control of Interbrands’ business in several countries. Interbrands is currently controlled by Holson Holdings, registered in Cyprus.

The cost of the takeover was not disclosed, but it will reportedly add around EUR 200 million of revenue to Orbico’s annual turnover, currently reported to be about EUR 2.3 billion per year.

Orbico is the exclusive distributor in Romania for a number of mainly luxury brands, including Lacoste, Gucci, Dolce & Gabanna, Hugo Boss, Puma, Burberry, Disney, and Barbie.

The Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii team was led by Partner Cornel Popa, working with Associate Anda-Laura Tanase.

Deloitte Legal Polish team included Partners Pawel Moskwa and Karol Kicun and Associate Diana Sofu, all working in cooperation with Reff & Associates in Romania.

Sorainen has assisted the Bridgestone producer of tires and other rubber products on the implementation of the GDPR in its group company in Latvia and its branch in Lithuania.

Sorainen reports doing “a full GDPR audit, review[ing] the client’s existing data processing activities, and provid[ing] the client with a thorough list of recommendations for achieving GDPR compliance.” Sorainen notes its work was done while “also taking into account the client’s activities in Estonia.”

The Sorainen team was led by Partner Ieva Andersone and Associate Agita Sprude.