We invest capital provided by entrepreneurs, family offices and private individuals as well as our own money in successful German small- and mid-sized companies. It is our goal, in cooperation with the companies’ management teams, to achieve sustainable and profitable sales growth.
MM Mittelstandsbeteiligungen
Private capital for succession solutions and corporate spin-off transactions
About us
Investment Strategy
We acquire majority stakes in profitable and cash flow generating businesses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with further organic sales growth potential.
Thereby we focus mainly on industrial businesses and companies from the sectors medical technology, services and consumer goods. In most cases we invest capital to support succession solutions or spin-offs of non-core activities. We are interested in companies with a sustainable EBITDA of between EUR 2 Mio. and EUR 10 Mio. p.a. As each situation is unique, we put financing structures in place which are suitable for the current and future needs of the businesses and which leave enough headroom to deal with unexpected developments.
We support the companies’ management teams, which will have the opportunity to acquire an equity stake as part of the transaction, to achieve the jointly defined goals. Managers remain solely responsible for the day to day operations of the business. We are investors with good operating and technical expertise and a great wealth of experience of working with small- and mid-sized companies and family owned businesses. As part of a long-term strategy our focus is on achieving profitable organic sales growth. For us transparency, top quality, systematic and well-structured procedures, an open and honest dialog, high speed of execution and the fair treatment of all persons involved are important success factors.
Succession solutions
We support succession solutions and enable business owners, as part of tailor-made structures, to realise most or all of the wealth which has been tied-up in their companies. As an alternative to a complete exit we highly appreciate scenarios which include a continued support of the business as manager, consultant or advisory board member as well as a re-investment by the owners.
Corporate spin-offs
Becoming independent puts the management of subsidiaries of larger corporations in a position to focus on the businesses’ own strengths in order to fully exploit their existing potential. We support such subsidiaries to become independent companies.
Investments
Effective end of April 2019 investors advised by MM Mittelstandsbeteiligungen acquired a majority stake in GLT Bearings GmbH. The Munich based company is a provider of sliding bearings with a focus on small and mid-sized product lines. The market for sliding bearings has experienced stable historic growth rates, not least as a result of an increasing number of relevant applications.
Sliding bearings provided by GLT Bearings are used by customers from many different industries such as agriculture, automotive, machine building, hydro power, forestry, construction and mining machinery, etc. as well as medical technology. The company has long standing relationships with manufacturers of vehicles and machinery (“OEMs”), distributors, spare parts and repair businesses as well as customers active in the project business. GLT Bearings focuses on Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe and the Benelux countries.
A comprehensive product portfolio (c. 48,000 different articles) with excellent delivery times for standard products (over 12,000 articles being on stock) and a strong technical sales team are the main differentiating factors of the company. The product offering includes sliding bearings made of all relevant materials such as steel, bronze, stainless steel, bi-metals, sintered metals, technical plastic and fibre composites.
As part of a succession solution an employed manager who has been with the business for several years, was appointed as Managing Director (“Geschäftsführer”) and acquired shares in the company alongside our investors.
https://www.glt-bearings.comSince July 2022 investors advised by us hold a participation in Umfotec Acoustic Solutions Group, a global market leader for flow acoustic solutions, in particular for automotive applications, with multi material capabilities. The company is located in Northeim in Lower Saxony. With some 130 employees, Umfotec Acoustic Solutions develops and manufactures components for air duct systems and mounting components with the aim of substantially reducing noise and vibrations.
The product program of Umfotec Acoustic Solutions consists of resonators and resabtors made of technical plastics, stainless steel and aluminium for flow noise reduction in cars with combustion engines or fuel cells, in battery electric vehicles as well as for various industrial applications. The company’s solutions are highly efficient at reducing unwanted noise, thus, ensuring a pleasant experience for their users. Customers of Umfotec are many international OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers from the automotive industry as well as other industrial segments.
In-depth flow acoustic know-how, which has been developed over decades, engineering competences acquired through many demanding customer projects and its multi material capabilities represent the main differentiating factors of the company.
The Managing Directors who have been with Umfotec Acoustic Solutions for many years acquired shares in the company alongside our investors.
https://www.umfotec.comInvestors advised by MM Mittelstandsbeteiligungen acquired a participation in Sokratel in August 2023. Sokratel, as an engineering service provider, develops complex and demanding solutions for renowned clients in industrial automation and the automotive industry, showcasing its technological expertise through its own set of tools and products. With over 130 employees, the company operates at its headquarters in Augsburg, Germany, as well as at four other locations across the country.
In its business unit Automation Sokratel is a specialist for the wind power industry and for industrial automation. Utilizing modern development methods and comprehensive technological expertise in control electronics and software module development, as well as in Model Based Development and Rapid Product Development, Sokratel delivers solutions for complex and time-critical automation processes. The tasks involved in the development of control and regulation technology, signal processing or communication are designed, developed, simulated, and tested using model-based approaches. Sokratel’s business unit Automotive focuses in particular on test and system integration solutions using model-based development of technical control systems/ECUs for the validation and integration of safety-critical vehicle dynamics and driver assistance systems (with brake interface), on specialized test benches ('hardware-in-the-loop') and test management systems, featuring its proprietary tool (FATIS) for highly automated ECU testing, fault identification, fault analysis, and suggested remedies as well as on the creation of requirement specifications and integration (E/E and AUTOSAR).
Together with the two business founders Thomas Frei and Hermann Frei, who will remain shareholders of Sokratel, we will continue the growth path of the company.
Team
Dr. Martin Beck
Extensive experience in both managing businesses as well as making investments and supervising portfolio companies
Dr. Martin Beck
MM Mittelstandsbeteiligungen GmbH
Managing Director
GLT Bearings
Industial | Sliding bearings | www.glt-bearings.com
since April 2019 Chairman of the Advisory Board
GB Deutschland Fund
Senior Advisor
Umfotec
Automotive | Resonators on the charged air side for noise reduction of turbo charger whistling and broad band flow noise, wire mesh products | www.umfotec.de
since March 2010 Chairman of the Advisory Board
Zarges
Industrial | Access and logistics products, e.g. ladders and transport boxes | www.zarges.de
Chairman of the Advisory Board from 2010 until exit in January 2018
PAS
Household appliances | Front panels/systems, wire harnesses | www.pas-net.com
Chairman of the Advisory Board from 2010 until exit in August 2015
Amoena
Medical technology | Silicone breast forms and complementary apparel | www.amoena.com
Member of the Advisory Board from 2010 until exit in November 2014
EUROASSEKURANZ Versicherungsmakler AG
Insurance broker for industry retail | www.euroassekuranz.eu
Member of the Supervisory Board from September 2016 until September 30, 2021
Private investor in numerous „club“-deals
Nordwind Capital
Founding Partner and Managing Director
SHW AG
Automotive | Oil pumps, break discs | www.shw.de
Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board from 2015 until exit in May 2014
ISE
Automotive | Chassis and car body modules, hinges | www.metalsa.com
Chairman of the Advisory Board from 2008 until exit in May 2013
Messer Eutectic Castolin Holding GmbH
Industrial | Welding, brazing & surface coating; laser-, plasma- & oxyfuel-cutting, blood testing instruments | www.mec-holding.de
Chairman of the Advisory Board and Member of the Supervisory Board since February 2005
CEO: Form July 2001 until January 2005
DEUTZ AG
Industrial | Combustion engines for industrial applications | www.deutz.de
CEO of global service and spare parts business
from July 1998 until June 2001
Assistant to Group CEO; head of public relations
from March 1996 until June 1997
Post graduated student Business Administration
Doctorate in Business Administration at the the Catholic University of Eichstätt
Diploma in Business Administration from the University of Regensburg
Mathias Schirmer
Over 15 years of private equity experience with focus on M&A transactions, financing and investment strategy
Mathias Schirmer
MM Mittelstandsbeteiligungen GmbH
Managing Director
GLT Bearings
Industrial | Sliding bearings | www.glt-bearings.com
since April 2019 Member of the Advisory Board
GB Deutschland Fund / Baird Capital
Managing Director and Investment Partner
Umfotec
Automotive | Resonators on the charged air side for noise reduction of turbo charger whistling and broad band flow noise, wire mesh products | www.umfotec.de
since June 2010 representative of the majority shareholder
Zarges
Industrial | Access and logistics products, e.g. ladders and transport boxes | www.zarges.de
Member of the Advisory Board from 2010 until exit in January 2018
PAS
Household appliances | Front panels/systems, wire harnesses | www.pas-net.com
Member of the Advisory Board from 2011 until exit in August 2015
Amoena
Medical technology | Silicone breast forms and complementary apparel | www.amoena.com
Member of the Advisory Board from 2007 until exit in November 2014
Spheros
Commercial vehicles supply | A/C and heater systems for buses and coaches; now part of Valeo
Member of the Advisory Board from 2006 until exit in February 2012
TEAM BS
Business services | Temporary employment; now part of Randstad
Member of the Advisory Board from 2004 until exit in September 2007
PwC
from 1993 until 2001
Financial audits, due diligence ans consulting projects
Professional exams
Certified tax adviser ("Steuerberater) and charterd accountant ("Wirtschaftsprüfer")
Diploma in Business Administration
University Göttingen