About the company
A subsidiary of GygMa GmbH distributes various models of reading magnifiers for shopping trolleys, as they are available to customers in many sales outlets. They are both reading aids to check small print information and carriers for advertising messages. The magnifier models are high-tech products: unbreakable, non-flammable, easy to assemble and clean, and completely harmless to health. They are available in countless colours for almost all common trolley models.
The owner wanted to retire from the business for personal reasons. He had the choice of either gradually liquidating the business or motivating a suitable successor.
The task
KERN was tasked with finding a successor for the company. The task began with the preparation of the sale, followed by the search for purchase candidates as well as their screening, and finally ended with the accompaniment of the sales negotiations.
Since the business had been run by a single person for years with very little effort, the ability to hand it over was limited. Prospective buyers were looking for a commercially sound structure and found it rather difficult to deal with the small size of the object for sale. Consequently, only buyers who wanted to continue and expand a niche business in a similar way came into question. It was not only the matching of seller and buyer that was challenging, where personal trust was central. Since the sale ended up being cross-border, new transfer channels also had to be formulated and examined.
What the client says about the project
Mr Markus Gygax:
What looked like a simple sale at the beginning turned into a rather complex and sometimes frustrating affair over time. What proved difficult at first was the low level of understanding of many prospective buyers for my small but fine business. They often expected high turnover and profit volumes or a proper business structure. According to my understanding, this made little sense because profitability was also given on a small scale. The transfer of the Swiss company to a German buyer then proved to be another challenge. Here, many details had to be checked and clarified in both directions.
KERN, with Daniel Heuer, accompanied me and the buyer over several months with commitment, patience and empathy and repeatedly ensured that the cart did not get stuck. Thanks to his support, I now know that my business is in good hands. The buyer is not only passionate about the business, but is also trying out various new things that I didn't have time for?
About the buyer
The buying couple not only continues the existing business, but repositions it as an individualised advertising campaign. Thus the magnifying glass becomes primarily the carrier of an advertising message; the reading aid becomes secondary. The strong anchoring of the buyer in the advertising industry sets new impulses.
The parties have agreed not to disclose the identity of the buyer.
