News
Reiger Racing Suspension secures future as part of KW Automotive
- Synergy is decisive factor in selecting KW Automotive
- Acquisition per January 1, 2021
- Company will remain in Hengelo (Gld.) for at least 10 years
- Gerard Seesing will continue in R&D
Hengelo (Gld.), December 15, 2020 – After a process spanning several years, Gerard and Anja Seesing have found a suitable acquisition partner for Reiger Racing Suspension. From January 1, 2021, the German KW Automotive will be the new owner of the global market leader in off-road shock absorbers from Hengelo (Gld.) in the Netherlands.
Gerard Seesing started developing shock absorbers for off-road use in 1977. Since the very first day, the technician from the Netherlands has been driven by a constant pursuit of innovation.
Driven by the passion of Gerard and Anja Seesing, Reiger grew into a leading manufacturer of off-road shock absorbers in the global automotive market resulting in many successes in motor sport. Nowadays 70 employees are building top quality shock absorbers on a daily basis in the modern production facility in Hengelo (Gld.).
Gerard and Anja Seesing have been in conversations with takeover candidates for some time to safeguard Reiger’s future, as both of their daughters have different interests in life. When selecting the new owner, the founders of the Dutch high-tech company put great emphasis on the question whether the strategic vision for the future and the quality level matched Reiger’s DNA.
After a thoughtful process, the suitable acquisition partner was found in the German KW Automotive. “During the conversations with Klaus Wohlfarth, I sensed that Klaus and I have many shared views about both the technical and business side. It strengthens Anja and me in the belief that we have found the right partner in the Wohlfarth family”, says Gerard Seesing.
KW was founded in 1992. Today the company is a worldwide operating manufacturer of shock absorbers for both motorsport and street use. Where Reiger has great successes in off-road car and motorsport, KW is very successful in track focused motorsport.
The KW automotive group employs 450 people worldwide. Most employees are located at the headquarters in Fichtenberg, Germany. KW also has offices in Belgium, China, Japan, Taiwan, United States and Switzerland.
An essential part of the takeover agreement is that Reiger will remain located in Hengelo (Gld.) for at least the next 10 years. Gerard Seesing: “We owe a lot to Hengelo (Gld.) and this region in the Netherlands. It is an important condition for us to secure the jobs for our employees over a long period of time.”
In order to ensure Reiger’s dedication towards its customers and other business partners all functions such as R&D, sales, service and maintenance will still be performed by the same teams and contact persons. Superior quality and service will continue to be the guiding principles for Reiger. In the coming years Reiger will benefit from the synergies with KW in areas such as R&D, business development and systems.
As founder of the company, Gerard Seesing will remain actively involved with the technical developments and with customer contacts.
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