IMAP advises the shareholders of InProCoat on the establishment of a strategic partnership with the Belgian ALRO Group, a portfolio company of Gimv

InProCoat (IPC), a leading German group in the area of industrial corrosion and fire protection, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Belgian ALRO Group (ALRO), a specialist in coating and painting plastic and metal parts for cars as well as trucks and a portfolio company of the European investment company Gimv. In collaboration with IPC, ALRO Group will apply fire-resistant coatings in electric vehicles ('EVs'). With this, ALRO Group is responding to the new e-models that many car manufacturers are launching and to the challenges imposed by the fire safety of the batteries within the cars.

The electrification of the vehicles on our roads is gathering pace. With a concern for greater sustainability and driven by climate standards and emerging legislation, many car brands are rolling out their e-models more quickly. An increasing pain point for electric cars is the fire safety of batteries. Lithium-ion battery cells can overheat, which in a chain reaction ('thermal runaway') can lead to a rapid and life-threatening fire.

It is precisely this risk to which IPC’s innovative technology provides an answer. Responding to the rapid arrival of electric cars and stricter fire safety regulations, IPC has developed a new solution for coating EV battery housings. IPC's unique fireproof coating outperforms competing technologies and has generated interest among electric vehicle manufacturers worldwide. Where IPC has in-house expertise in fire-resistant coatings, ALRO Group specialises in the professional application of coatings on a large industrial scale, including for demanding automotive industry customers. The cooperation and complementarity of ALRO Group and IPC create a promising future.

Founded as a medium-sized company in Kreuztal in 1920, InProCoat (formerly Schneider + Co.) developed into an internationally active specialist and service provider for coating solutions for steel and non-ferrous metal surfaces with a focus on fire protection and pipe coatings. The family-run company with around 120 employees operates four plants and is particularly valued by its customers for its high level of innovation.

The IMAP team consisiting of Michael Knoll and Philipp Noack exclusively advised the shareholders of InProCoat during a structured, competitive M&A process and supported them in negotiating and successfully closing the strategic partnership.