Panhard dream wedding with the Leclerc tank

The French manage to reach a critical size in the Light Armored? It is hoped that the group Panhard attempting a rapprochement with the public Nexter (formerly Giat). The building is well underway in Europe, led by the Anglo-Saxons.

To the north, Britain's BAE Systems has steadily increased, including the purchase of Swedish Hagglunds, and now shows 7 billion euros of turnover. To the south, the U.S. General Dynamics has swooped on the Spanish Santa Barbara. The French Nexter and Panhard, which respectively carry a turnover of 579 million euros and hundreds of millions, have emerged as Tom Thumb. A rapprochement with Renault Trucks Defense, a subsidiary of Volvo Trucks, has also been mentioned.

Hence the idea of boss Panhard, Christian Mons, initiating a rapprochement with Next.Especially since the group's main shareholder, with 75% of the capital, George Cohen, had once considered separate from that asset. Having no desire to become a sub-subsidiary of a foreign group, Panhard therefore seeks to grow, with a preference for a Franco-French solution. Interviews with representatives of the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) – who presides over the future of Nexter – have already been held and the proposal would have received a rather favorable.

Crossing several pitfalls

Panhard side, do not hesitate to think big. The company already imagine that after having bought Nexter it could begin negotiations with its German competitors Rheinmetall and KMW, also looking for external growth operations to reach a critical size.Such discussions would kick off an equivalent of one armored EADS.

Before that happened, it remains to Panhard to cross several hurdles. Only Nexter Armored Division and its flagship, the Leclerc tanks, interest Panhard. It performs alone 450 million euros of turnover. The group led by Christian Mons no secret to be much less inclined to acquire the activities of artillery and information systems and command.

Although it is still too early for a pattern emerges, buying only part of Nexter or the total surrender before a non-strategic assets, then he should know how to organize a form of privatization of the former Giat. Finally, if Thales does not seem to be a candidate for a merger with Nexter, Renault Trucks Defense had already expressed interest Nexter in 2008.The subsidiary of Swedish group had also extended a hand to Panhard, who was then preferred to decline the proposal.

January 3rd, 2010 in Uncategorized, economic, events, life, people | tags: , , , ,