The Swiss Franke Group, headquartered in Aarburg, has concluded a sale and purchase agreement to acquire 100% of WESCO Group, a premium manufacturer of high-end kitchen extractor hoods and ventilation systems in Switzerland and Germany. The closing of the transaction remains subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities. Financial details of the transaction will not be disclosed.
WESCO Group’s subsidiary WESCO AG is a recognised expert for kitchen extractor hoods and air filtration in homes, schools and offices in Switzerland – Berbel Ablufttechnik GmbH, the group’s German operation, is a leading brand of extractor hoods and hob extractors in Germany. In the 2022/2023 financial year, WESCO Group generated net sales of 97 million Swiss francs and employed a total of 280 employees.
WESCO Group will become part of Franke Home Solutions, a division of Franke Group and a leading provider of intelligent systems and solutions for residential kitchens.
The acquisition of WESCO Group offers to Franke Group the opportunity to strengthen its position in the extractor hood market and progressively achieve a leading position in Germany and Switzerland. WESCO Group, through its brands Wesco and Berbel, is strongly represented as a premium supplier on the Swiss and German extractor hood markets respectively, and complements and reinforces Franke’s offering from both geographical and strategic perspective.
Barbara Borra, president and CEO of Franke Home Solutions, pictured, said: “Acquiring WESCO is an ideal strategic fit for us. WESCO brings to Franke advanced air quality technology and robust commercial organizations in Switzerland and Germany. By leveraging Franke’s global scale and financial strength, we can support WESCO’s growth both in its traditional markets and internationally. With WESCO, we have found a company who shares the same values as Franke in terms of quality, technology and innovation.”
Beat Ernst, owner of WESCO Group, added: “As part of a succession plan, I decided to sell my company to Franke. As there is no succession in our family environment, it was important to me to find a sustainable solution that would hand over our life's work into good hands. Franke has the necessary expertise and resources to fully utilize the potential of our brands and position them even more successfully in the market.”
