July 2021
Succession solution for Global Sourcing Services AG
With the sale to a long-term oriented family office, the owners of Global Sourcing Services AG are implementing their succession solution. The company will continue to operate independently at its current locations in Sirnach (CH) and Shanghai (CN) and will be further developed in the long term. Ramus & Company acted as exclusive M&A advisor to the sellers in this transaction.
Since 2009, entrepreneurs Esther Sauter and Christoph Wilhelm have successfully built up a group of companies consisting of Global Sourcing Services AG based in Sirnach (Switzerland) as well as GSS Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. and GSS Trading (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. based in Shanghai (hereinafter «GSS»). Over the years, GSS has developed into a leading production service provider of mechanical and mechatronic assemblies and individual components with renowned customers. It mainly serves international customers from a wide range of industries with key technologies.
To ensure the long-term future of GSS, the two entrepreneurs arranged their succession at an early stage and sold GSS to Family Trust Investor («FTI»), an entrepreneur-led family office from Munich. After the sale, GSS will be managed independently by the existing management and founder Christoph Wilhelm. The two locations in Sirnach (CH) and Shanghai (CN) will be retained and all employees will remain with the company.
For GSS’s customers and business partners, everything will generally remain unchanged after the transaction. Rather, the new owner will support the future development of GSS with its many years of industry experience and financial resources and continue the long-term growth strategy.
About Global Sourcing Services AG
GSS is a production service provider and global sourcing expert with its own production sites in China and Switzerland. Comprehensive services and products in engineering, procurement and assembly of functionally tested mechanical and mechatronic assemblies are offered to renowned international customers – primarily in the automotive, medical technology, laboratory automation and mechanical engineering sectors.
«Swiss Quality made in China» – By combining Swiss quality standards with cost-efficient sourcing and production in China, GSS has created an attractive positioning for its existing long-standing and new customers. GSS employs around 80 people in Switzerland and China and consists of three legal entities.
More information: www.globalsourcingservices.ch
About Family Trust Investor FTI GmbH
Family Trust is an investment holding company managed by entrepreneurs. In addition to significant own funds of the managing partners, Family Trust invests the assets of institutional investors, family offices, wealthy entrepreneurial families and private individuals in successful and healthy SME companies in German-speaking countries. The Family Trust team has extensive operational experience and entrepreneurial expertise of its own and supports acquired businesses in their long-term strategic, organisational and content-related development.
More information: www.familytrust.de
Role of Ramus & Company
Ramus & Company managed the sale process on behalf of the owners of GSS as their exclusive M&A advisor. In this function, Ramus & Company prepared the sales documentation, identified potential buyers, organized the due diligence process, led the contract negotiations and successfully closed the transaction.