In future, OKS and EMW will be operating on the market together as sister companies

Neunkirchen, 29th June 2023. SCHÄFER Werke GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Neunkirchen in Germany’s Siegerland region, has acquired OKS Otto Knauf GmbH in Iserlohn from Fidelium Partners. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

OKS Otto Knauf GmbH is an independently operating steel service company with over 100 employees. Founded in 1952, the business, with its rich tradition, gradually developed into a modern steel service centre.With its high-performance slitting lines, it processes several hundred tons of steel annually into the required forms and precise dimensions, achieving a turnover of approximately €95 million.

After its acquisition by Fidelium from the international operator STEMCOR in 2017, OKS was able to reposition itself successfully as an SME in Germany’s renowned “Mittelstand” and return to profitable growth. After the OKS takeover, Fidelium introduced an extensive series of successful optimisation measures. These included cost optimisation programmes and efficient use of operating capital, improvements in production and systems, as well as the successful implementation of product verification and business development measures.

The 100% family-owned SCHÄFER WERKE Group operates globally with diversified business areas: EMW Steel Service Centre, perforated sheets, container systems and IBCs, as well as IT and interior systems. The work of all these divisions is based on high-quality fine steel sheet and the processing of this material is one of the group’s traditional core competencies.

With this forward-looking investment, SCHÄFER is strengthening its EMW business unit - a steel service centre that operates independently of the plant. EMW will benefit from this acquisition and is pursuing its own long-term goals of continuous, healthy growth as well as the expansion of capacities. Above all, however, the takeover will expand the service portfolio: OKS has an extensive range of machinery, as well as a highly skilled and experienced workforce. Steels in thicknesses from 0.25 - 16 mm can be processed here and slit strips in stainless steel and aluminium are also produced, in addition to carbon steels. For EMW, the additional storage capacities are also very welcome. While the coil warehouse holds 60,000 tonnes, the finished material warehouse can store 15,000 tonnes of slit strip.

As one of Europe’s largest independent steel service centres, EMW supplies coils, slit strip, cut-to-size and circular blanks to the steel processing industry. At its two locations, in Neunkirchen (North Rhine-Westphalia) and Treuen (Saxony), EMW has more than 220,000 tonnes of thin steel sheet permanently in stock. This means almost all standard market grades are constantly available. A highly efficient organisation for transport logistics is also one of the company's particular specialities.