SWITZERLAND – Bühler Group has announced it has acquired Austrian confectionary machine manufacturer The Haas Group as it aims to improve and complete consumer foods portfolio, for an undisclosed sum.

Haas has a global workforce of 1,750 manufacturing sites in six countries with sales revenue of around $300million.

Bühler said the deal with the global leader in the field of production systems for wafers, biscuits and baked goods, would provide its customers new opportunities for diversity.

Since the two companies operate in the same markets, the probability of serving the same clients is high therefore there would be no overlapping of services upon completion of the deal.

Stefan Scheiber, CEO Bühler, believes the two companies are ‘identically positioned as quality providers’ and therefore they have the same corporate cultures as family-owned businesses that are based on trust and committed to sustainability.

“It is hard to imagine a better basis for successful integration, and we will do everything in our power to generate added value for both our customers and our employees,” he said.

Bühler works on making its global network of around 100 stations accessible to Haas customers so as to develop solutions for the production of wafers, biscuits and confectionary with chocolate.

It also focuses on integration of Haas into its innovation and managements sectors.

Member of The Haas Group Supervisory Board Johann Haas said: “Today’s market and technology trends, whose impact and speed will continue to increase, have prompted us to take this step.”

“Bühler offers precisely this environment,” he added. “It is for this reason that we sought exclusive talks with them on the change in ownership, and we are glad to have found a sound and future-oriented solution for all the parties involved.”