Kuhn has announced that it has signed a principal understanding for the acquisition of Montana Indústria de Máquinas, headquartered in São José dos Pinhais (Paraná), Brazil, with the owners of Montana.
Montana is one of the leading manufacturers of self-propelled sprayers in Brazil. Montana also offers a wide range of 3-point mounted, trailed and mistblower sprayers well adapted to the needs of the Brazilian market.
Recently, Montana used its self-propelled expertise to enter the new and rapidly growing self-propelled fertilizer spreader market. The acquisition is subject to signing a definitive transaction agreement and to certain actions and approvals. Closing is expected to take place during the first half of 2014.
“Montana perfectly complements the Kuhn product range” stated Michel Siebert, CEO of Kuhn Group. “We already enjoy a strong position in the planting and seeding business through Kuhn do Brasil, our business platform located in Passo Fundo in Rio Grande do Sul since February 2005. Montana’s self-propelled product offering further strengthens Kuhn’s position, especially in the important large scale commercial farming sector in Brazil.
It also brings additional knowledge and expertise which will further advance Kuhn Group’s presence in the crop protection business. It also provides Kuhn with an access to Argentina with a local manufacturing platform, and significantly reinforces Kuhn Group’s position in the strategic South American market.”
“The integration of Montana into Kuhn Group presents significant growth opportunities within Brazil, other markets of South America, and beyond”, said Gilberto J. Zancopé, Chairman of Montana Indústria de Máquinas. “I see great synergies and this will help Montana, in combination with Kuhn, to further develop the product portfolio, and better support our dealers and our customers”.
Further to the closing of the transaction, Kuhn will continue to operate Montana with the current management and employees. It is planned that Gilberto J. Zancopé will be named as Special Advisor of Kuhn Group in Brazil, and will become a shareholder of Bucher Industries AG, the Swiss stock listed parent company of Kuhn Group.
