The Gütersloh-based investment company OWL KapitalPartner is providing the construction machinery dealer Paul Kuhn GmbH with structured mezzanine financing under a long-term agreement. The traditional company based in North Rhine-Westphalia is using the additional capital to strengthen its financial foundation and specifically advance upcoming investment and growth projects.
Long-standing market presence in the construction and commercial sector
Paul Kuhn GmbH is a family-run trading company for construction machinery and equipment headquartered in Verl, with an additional branch in Beckum. For more than 55 years, the company has served commercial and private clients with technical equipment for building construction, civil engineering, and landscaping. Thanks to its deep local roots, the business has established itself as a reliable partner to the regional construction sector.
The provision of mezzanine funds forms the foundation of a lasting partnership. Looking ahead beyond purely subordinated debt, OWL KapitalPartner is also considering taking a direct corporate equity stake. Among other aspects, this option is designed to prepare and structure an orderly business succession in the years ahead at an early stage.
Comprehensive audit and transaction advisory
As part of the transaction, the investor was advised by an interdisciplinary team from the audit and consulting firm Grant Thornton in Germany. Led by partners Dr Stephane Müller for commercial, Sebastian Bongartz for tax matters, and Dr Georg-Peter Kränzlin for legal support, the advisory firm handled the legal, tax, and commercial due diligence reviews and assisted with contract structuring.
- —Borrower: Paul Kuhn GmbH with branches in Verl and Beckum
- —Financing partner: OWL KapitalPartner, a wholly owned subsidiary of Volksbank in Ostwestfalen
- —Instrument: Mezzanine capital with an option for future direct equity investment to secure succession
- —Advisory: Grant Thornton with interdisciplinary due diligence and contract services
Simon Köckerling from OWL KapitalPartner subsequently emphasised the cross-disciplinary support, which contributed to a swift and pragmatic negotiation process. As a regional equity financier and wholly owned subsidiary of Volksbank in Ostwestfalen, the Gütersloh-based firm focuses primarily on medium-sized companies undergoing growth phases or strategic ownership transitions.
