STRABAG, the largest construction group in Central and Eastern Europe, successfully completed its acquisition of the companies run by the Thaler family, SITEC Verkehrstechnik GmbH and Wieser Verkehrssicherheit GmbH, leading suppliers in the fields of road restraint systems and traffic safety, in August 2023.
CERHA HEMPEL advised STRABAG on the M&A and merger control process. In a complex merger control proceeding before the Austrian cartel authorities, it was possible to address and overcome the concerns raised by the competition watchdogs, following an in-depth review and by calling upon the advice of experts, and achieve clearance of the transaction without conditions before the Austrian Cartel Court. This makes the merger proceedings led by CERHA HEMPEL one of the few cases in Austria in which it was possible to conclude Phase II proceedings without conditions being imposed.
As regards the implementation of the transaction, STRABAG was advised by partners Dr. Albert Birkner LL.M. (Corporate, M&A) and Dr. Bernhard Kofler-Senoner LL.M. (Antitrust & Competition). The team at CERHA HEMPEL consisted of Dr. Martin Eichinger (Corporate, M&A) and Mag. Philipp Schaubach LL.M. (Antitrust & Competition), supported by Jakob Weber LL.M. LL.M. and Liliana Niederhauser LL.M. (both Associates, Corporate, M&A).
STRABAG was advised in-house by Sonja Müllner (Head of Legal Austria) and Meera Ramakrishnan (Legal Department).