Andlinger and Company Acquires Thona Group

A company recently formed by principals of Andlinger and Company, Inc., a private investment management firm with offices in the U.S. and Europe, acquired the Thona Group. The Thona Group had sales in the year ended December 31, 2001 of approximately $139.9 million. The transaction closed on July 22, 2002, and its value is undisclosed. The companies that comprise the Thona Group develop and produce high quality rubber compounds. Thona Group’s head office is located in Eupen, Belgium.

In Canada, Andlinger and Company was represented by Stikeman Elliott, with a team including John Leopold, Jean Farley and Jason Streicher (corporate), Sterling Dietze (finance), Bertrand Ménard (real estate), Monique Lussier (environment), Michel Legendre (pension and benefits), Derek Chiasson (tax) and Mireille Bergeron (employment); assisted by Charles Reagh of Stewart McKelvey Stirling Scales. In the U.S., Andlinger and Company was represented by McGuireWoods LLP, with a team consisting of Patrick De Ridder and Seth McLaughlin (corporate), James Thornhill (environment) and Robyn Carlson (employee benefits). Hubert Andre-Dumont (corporate and finance) and Christiane Zuñiga and Martin Donaghy (corporate) of McGuireWoods in Brussels provided legal advice to Andlinger and Company on Belgian law matters.

The shareholders of the Thona Group were represented by Guido Müller in Belgium, assisted by Reinout Slot and Stephan Ong of CMS Derks Star Busmann, providing advice in regards to matters governed by Netherlands law.

Certain financing for the transaction was provided by Banque Bruxelles Lambert S.A. and Fortis Bank. The banks were represented in Canada by Sébastien Thériault and Annie Beaudoin of Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP, and in Belgium by Jean-Pierre Fierens and Marc Fyon of Stibbe.