Acquisitions

Kuka: official bid from the Chinese

All the world is talking about it, now the official bid is there: the Chinese appliance manufacturer Midea will pay 115 Euro for each, Kuka’s share price, he can get. The German robot builders want to “check”.

In the latest two weeks Kuka plans to submit its response to the offer of the Chinese. The device manufacturer Midea already holds a stake in Kuka, to increase the now to at least 30 percent. Overall, the offer is hard to 4,5 billion euros. Finally, the talk had been of it, the Chinese wanted to limit your Kuka shares to 49 percent. However, a takeover offer is not to be limited in Germany.

Speculation over a counter-offer

The takeover attempt had already been triggered prior to submission of the official bid, a broad discussion about a possible sale of technical Know-how to China. Also during the visit of the German Chancellor recently in Beijing, the theme resonated. Earlier, Federal Minister for economic Affairs Sigmar Gabriel had made it clear that he wishes to offer a European alternative.

Speculation that the Swiss industrial group ABB could submit a counter-offer, did not want to comment, a spokeswoman for Kuka closer. Such an offer should come in, would you consider this like all the others, she said on Thursday.

ar/zdh (dpa, rtr)