NORMA Group plans IPO in first half of 2011.

NORMA Group, a global market and technology leader in attractive niche markets for engineered joining technologies, is preparing for its initial public offering on the Prime Standard of the regulated market of Frankfurt Stock Exchange during the first half of 2011. Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs International have been appointed as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners. The envisaged free float of approximately 50 to 60 percent includes new shares from a planned capital increase. The expected gross proceeds from the sale of the new shares amount to approximately €150 million. NORMA Group intends to use the proceeds from the planned capital increase to partially repay its financial liabilities and strengthen its financial flexibility to support further organic and acquisitive growth.

Strong market position in engineered joining technologies

NORMA Group is a global market and technology leader with strong growth prospects in attractive niche markets for engineered joining technologies. The company manufactures and sells a wide range of high-quality engineered joining technology solutions in three product categories: clamp, connect and fluid. These are often mission-critical for the performance, reliability and quality of the respective customer end products.

Headquartered in Maintal, Germany, NORMA Group has a global network, which includes 17 manufacturing and distribution facilities as well as ten sales and distribution sites across Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. The company offers more than 35,000 high-quality products and solutions to approximately 10,000 customers in a wide range of industries, including agricultural machinery,  commercial vehicles, construction equipment, engines, aviation, infrastructure/construction/water management, passenger vehicles, railway, white goods, wholesalers and technical distributors.

NORMA Group distributes its products into more than 80 countries using two distinct ways-to-market: Engineered Joining Technology (“EJT”) and Distribution Services (“DS”). In the EJT way-to-market, NORMA Group delivers customized, engineered solutions meeting the specific application requirements of original equipment manufacturers. In the DS way-to-market, the company sells a wide range of highquality standardized engineered joining technology products for a broad range of applications through various distribution channels under its well known brands ABA®, BREEZE®, Gemi®, NORMA®, R.G. RAY®, Serflex®, Serratub®, TERRY® and Torca®.

Fast-growing demand for engineered joining technologies driven by global megatrends and increasing technological requirements

The engineered joining technologies market offers attractive growth opportunities. Technological megatrends such as weight reduction, increasing engine efficiency and modularization of production processes continue to respond to global megatrends such as growing environmental awareness, tighter emission regulations, increasing fuel costs and increasing cost pressure for producers and lead to changing customer requirements. These factors are expected to drive growth of engineered joining technology content in customer end products, e.g. vehicles, construction equipment and engines. As a consequence, NORMA Group assumes that the engineered joining technology market will outgrow its customer end markets over the coming years.

With its innovative solutions, NORMA Group continuously addresses evolving customer requirements regarding reductions in leakage, weight, space and assembly time, and the modularization of production processes. “The engineered joining technology market is facing exciting changes. Various trends are continuing to impact our customer end markets, and thus their demand for joining technology products. Being a technology and innovation leader in engineered joining technologies, we are excellently positioned to benefit from these developments,” says Werner Deggim, CEO of NORMA Group.

Strong M&A track record

NORMA Group’s success story has been built on organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The company was established in 2006 through the merger of Rasmussen and ABA, two European leaders in engineered joining technologies. In 2007, NORMA Group acquired Breeze Industrial Products Corporation in the United States significantly enhancing the company’s geographical reach as well as its product and brand portfolio. In 2010, NORMA Group continued to strengthen its presence with two further acquisitions in the United States – R.G. RAY and Craig Assembly. NORMA Group generated around €490 million in revenue in 2010. “Financial year 2010 has been very successful for NORMA Group. We are confident that the planned IPO will additionally support the long-term success of our company,” says Dr. Othmar Belker, CFO of NORMA Group.