Morgan Stanley acquires Ploucquet
Following ongoing negotiations over the past few months, investment bank Morgan Stanley and Annex Capital have acquired 100% of the share capital of German laminates, coating and membrane developer Ploucquet Holding GmbH from 40 descendants of the group’s founding family. No financial details of the agreement have been disclosed.
Ploucquet was founded as a textile trading business in Heidenheim in 1806 by Christoph Friedrich Ploucquet. It now specialises in laminates, coatings, finishing processes and membrane systems and employs approximately 500 staff world-wide. The group owns Sympatex Technologies GmbH and has a joint venture with Outlast Technologies, Inc.
Sympatex recently launched a new system for more temperature wear comfort in footwear in cooperation with Outlast Europe: Scout (Sympatex Climacomfort with Outlast Adaptive Comfort). Developed by Sympatex Technologies, Outlast Europe and Ploucquet it is said to unite the watertightness and breathability of the Sympatex membrane with the temperature-regulating effect of the Outlast phase change materials (PCM). The reason for the development is that shoe manufacturers were interested in using Outlast Adaptive Comfort materials in their products but did not wish to do so without the Sympatex membrane.
