KKR, a leading global investment firm, announced that KKR has signed agreements to enter into a strategic partnership with EGC, an energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The engineering service provider ITG is also part of the group. The founding family and current shareholders will retain a stake in the company and will remain active members of the management team. Former CEO Germany of GETEC Group, Michael Lowak, will join the group as Chairman, contributing his extensive industry expertise to support the management team in this strategic partnership .
With KKR as a strategic partner, EGC aims to become the leading decarbonization partner for the real estate industry and to accelerate its growth. To this end, the company plans to invest more in both organic and inorganic growth.
Buildings account for around a third of global CO2 emissions, mainly through space and water heating. The decarbonization of heating systems in buildings is crucial to achieving the EU’s climate targets. EGC supports landlords in developing solutions to meet their decarbonization goals.
Also Read: Blue Whale Materials Announces Strategic Partnership with Call2Recycle to Advance Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling in North America
Following the successful completion of the transaction, KKR will support the company in introducing a broad-based employee ownership and engagement model. The program will ensure that all employees are involved in shaping EGC’s future and can participate in the company’s future success. KKR developed this model in 2011 and has since successfully implemented it globally in 60 portfolio companies with more than 150,000 non-management employees.
Corinna Pitz and Dirk Pitz, members of EGC’s management, said: “The collaboration with KKR opens up completely new possibilities for us to further expand our strong market position and to develop our group of companies. In KKR, we have found a partner that shares both our strategic goals and our entrepreneurial approach. KKR is not only an established infrastructure investor, but also has a long history of working with family-run companies. We are very much looking forward to this next phase of growth with KKR, which will open up many new opportunities for our group and employees.”
Michael Lowak, future Chairman of EGC, said: “EGC enables landlords to efficiently plan, implement and finance the decarbonization of their properties. The company is thus making a significant contribution to both the real estate industry and the energy transition in Germany. I look forward to bringing my experience and industry knowledge to EGC and working with KKR to further drive the company’s growth.”
Ryan Miller, Managing Director in KKR’s European Infrastructure team, commented: “To advance the energy transition in Germany at the necessary pace, we need creative solutions and long-term capital. We are seeing growing interest in contracting solutions and significant potential in what is still a very fragmented market. Together with the management team, we want to develop EGC into the leading decarbonization partner for the real estate industry and drive forward the energy transition in Germany.”
KKR is funding the investment as part of its Global Climate Strategy, through which KKR is investing at scale in solutions that support the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Source: BusinessWire