IMAP advises Horst Pöppel on the sale of its fuel service and distribution business to AUCTUS Capital Partners

IMAP advised the shareholders of Horst Pöppel Logistik und Transport GmbH & Co. KG, Regensburg, one of the leading German fuel service and distribution companies, on the sale of a majority shareholding to funds of the private equity sponsor AUCTUS Capital Partners AG, Munich, as part of the succession planning of the company’s shareholder family. The former majority shareholder, Mrs. Monika Zollner, has reinvested in the business in order to continue to support the upcoming transformation of Horst Pöppel in a changing market over the next few years. The transaction is still subject to the fulfilment of certain closing conditions, which are expected to take effect until Q2-2022.

As a family-owned company, Horst Pöppel is one of Germany's leading providers of tank and silo logistics, especially for fuel distribution, in addition to operating a number of traditional forwarding businesses, and has been working closely with almost all leading mineral oil brands for decades. In addition to transporting fuels to gas stations, Horst Pöppel also forwards liquid, gas, dust and powder products - including food, chemicals and AdBlue. The company has its own modern fleet of more than 160 trucks and nearly 180 tank trailers. With more than € 50 million in sales and 15 locations mainly in Bavaria and Saxony, Horst Pöppel is a regional market leader and one of the largest fuel-to- gas stations distributors in Germany. The traditional forwarding business of Horst Pöppel is not affected by the transaction and will continuously be wholly owned by the Zollner family.

AUCTUS Capital Partners AG is an independent investment company founded by entrepreneurs with a managed fund capital of more than € 800 million. AUCTUS Partner Dr. Nicolas Himmelmann comments on the investment in Horst Pöppel: "It is our aim to further consolidate the market in fuel distribution to gas stations in Germany with Horst Pöppel, but above all we want to be a reliable partner for our customers even in a changing market environment." "With the transport of biofuels, e-fuels, hydrogen and more silo and tank logistics business, we want to make Horst Pöppel less dependent on the mineral oil business in the future. In addition to the strategic realignment, we also want to grow with Horst Pöppel beyond current level", adds Timo Bräu, Investment Manager at AUCTUS.

The IMAP team consisting of Dr. Burkhard Weber, Philipp Noack and Mathias Bosse exclusively advised the shareholders of Horst Pöppel Logistik und Transport GmbH & Co. KG by way of running a competitive and structured M&A process through all phases.