Strategic Expansion
The Schleuniger Group has acquired PAWO Systems AG, head-quartered in Unterägeri, Switzerland. The formal closing is scheduled for July 1, 2008. Like Schleuniger, PAWO develops and produces precision, niche oriented machines for the global wire processing market. PAWO specializes in machines for the automatic assembly of loose parts to wires, especially automatic and semi automatic installation of weather seals. This kind of technology is used traditionally by the automotive industry. However, many new industries are now considering seal applications for general purpose applications in order to prevent the intrusion of splash water and humidity into connectors.
Through this specialization, PAWO is acknowledged as a leading global provider of such products. In addition, PAWO offers shuttle and conventional transfer machines used to solve complex wire processing, assembly and quality testing. In the wire processing industry, PAWO has an excellent reputation and is known for its high-quality products and solving complex problems for the global wire harness manufacturers.
PAWO also owns 100% of PAWO Inc. in El Paso, Texas (USA) as well as the PAWO Representative Office in Shanghai (China). With nearly 100 employees, PAWO has total sales of 25 Mio CHF with a good EBIT in line with the industry.
With the sale of PAWO Systems AG to the Schleuniger Group, the company’s founder Paul Woecke (61) settles his succession early and does this together with a long-term industry partner. The Schleuniger Group, which recently was taken over by the METALL ZUG GROUP in the context of a solution for succession, expands its market position with regard to the automotive industry and thus consequently continues its strategy on which it embarked four years ago.
PAWO will retain and further develop its business at the same location and with the same company name. The channels of distribution, which are already more or less identical with the ones Schleuniger uses, will merge.
PAWO - A Success Story
In 1980, Paul Woecke established PAWO AG in Baar, Switzerland. At the beginning, the company produced crimping presses and developed products and equipment for seal assembly. In 2000, the company moved to its own premises in Unterägeri. One year later, PAWO Inc. in El Paso (USA) was launched. By taking over Megomat Transfer Systems AG in 2004, Paul Woecke ventured into the customer-specific project work. This business, which was difficult in the beginning, was put onto a new and promising platform by introducing an innovative shuttle system and was integrated into PAWO Systems AG. Today PAWO with its technologically leading high-quality products presents itself as optimally primed for the future.
Paul Woecke has planned his succession for some time. “Schleuniger and PAWO have known each other for many years and our ideals and ambitions match. With good conscience, I put my life’s work into the hands of PAWO’s own and Schleuniger’s management teams. I am confident I have found a reliable and future-oriented solution with Schleuniger” , Paul Woecke stated.
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