L’Economia del Corriere announces Windex’s acquisition of O.ME.P.S

The Italian-Swiss holding company’s takeover of the Campania-based O.ME.P.S.
Investments, WindeX fosters excellence
by Andrea Rinaldi

An investment holding company dedicated to facilitating generational succession in small-scale Italian industry, with the support of international partners. It is with this mission in mind that the investment company WindeX has completed a new transaction by acquiring O.ME.P.S. of Battipaglia, a company specialising in the engineering, development and manufacture of specialised silo trailers for powdery and granular materials – namely, pressurised tanks for the transport of specialised materials ranging from cement to flour and seeds.
The group generates around 31 million euros in revenue, mostly from abroad, employs around 150 staff and competes in Europe with two other German rivals. The transaction was finalised through a special purpose vehicle owned by WindeX and a group of private investors linked to the Swiss and Italian business communities. The holding company — founded by Rolando Benedick and Domenico Sibilio five years ago — invests through a permanent pool of co-investors comprising 15 family offices, which are in turn backed by Swiss and Italian entrepreneurs. WindeX, however, aims to expand this network with new members, particularly in Italy. Clessidra Capital Credit Sgr, through the Clessidra Private Debt Fund II, supported the acquisition of O.ME.P.S. with subordinated financing, whilst the acquisition financing was provided by Banca Ifis and Unicredit. Advisors: Giovannelli e Associati law firm, Deloitte, Maisto e Associati, OC&C, Greenwich.
“We were founded with the aim of acquiring niche Italian companies of excellence, with a strong track record and the ambition to manage the ‘post-family’ phase through an industrial rather than a purely financial approach. We guide these companies by supporting their internal management or, where necessary, bringing in external professionals coordinated by our team, which operates across four areas: production, business development, supply chain and commercial development. This is in our DNA,” explains Sibilio, CEO of WindeX, who from today will also take on the role of chairman of O.ME.P.S., whilst Alessandro Guarino, formerly the company’s general manager, has been appointed CEO.
The founder and outgoing chairman, Vincenzo Munzio, will retain the role of honorary chairman: “I founded the company in 1999,” he explains, “starting with a simple repair and maintenance workshop for commercial vehicles and transforming it, over the years, into a leading manufacturer in the silo trailer sector. With the transition to WindeX, it will be able to pursue an even more ambitious growth trajectory, in keeping with the values that have always defined me and that I have always sought to instil in the company.”
The O.ME.P.S. deal is the third transaction by the Sibilio and Benedick holding company: together, all three represent a total investment of around one hundred million euros. The first was the acquisition of Messersì, a company specialising in the design and manufacture of tracked mini-dumpers, founded in 1957, with a turnover of around 30 million; the second was Fic, which has been active since 1951 in the manufacture and distribution of ‘pillow plate’ heat exchangers and other refrigeration solutions used in the food industry; with a turnover of around 20 million.