Manz AG: Share swap at Customcells offers attractive potential in aviation and mobility industry

Manz AG: Share swap at Customcells offers attractive potential in aviation and mobility industry

• Manz swaps stake in Customcells Tübingen GmbH for stake in parent company Customcells Group
• Successful cooperation between the two companies already exists since 2019
• New form of participation brings Manz even closer to attractive target markets such as the aviation and mobility industry

Reutlingen, May 30, 2023 – Manz AG, a global high-tech engineering company with a comprehensive technology portfolio, is taking its long-standing partnership with Customcells to a new level.

The two companies started their successful cooperation already in 2019 as part of the so-called KomVar project. Then in May 2022, Manz had acquired a 40% stake in Customcells Tübingen GmbH, thus gaining access to new customer groups. The Customcells corporate group is a leader in the development and series production of state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery cells and pursues holistic electrification concepts. The jointly developed processes have successfully supported Customcells' customers in scaling their production capacities. In addition to battery-powered aviation with its extremely high-quality standards, the partnership was also aimed at expanding existing relationships with customers in the automotive and electronics industries. Manz AG is now further developing its strategic commitment by swapping its shares in Customcells Tübingen GmbH for a stake in the parent company Customcells Group.

„Manz AG is one of the technology leaders in the field of battery production. Customcells Group establishes innovations in the field of process development, from which we, as a high-tech engineering company, participate directly and indirectly. With our investment in Customcells Group, we are therefore further strengthening our positioning by moving even closer to the latest developments and planned production lines in attractive target markets such as the aviation and mobility sectors," said Martin Drasch, CEO of Manz AG.

„We see Manz AG's investment in our corporate group as an endorsement of the course we have taken with Customcells Group. We are in the process of positioning Customcells as a premium manufacturer and global player in the battery industry. The support of our investors and shareholders is of outstanding importance in this regard, as is Customcells' openness to a wide range of cooperations in the systems engineering segment, which we continue to foster," said Dirk Abendroth, CEO of Customcells Group.

In addition to Manz AG, 468 Capital, Vsquared Ventures, Porsche Ventures as well as the financial investor PRIMEPULSE SE, the Hamburg-based family office Abacon Capital and World Fund hold shares in Customcells Group, which in addition to Customcells Tübingen GmbH also includes Customcells Itzehoe GmbH and an investment in E-Lyte Innovations GmbH, a company specializing in the development of electrolytes.

Company Profile:

Manz AG - engineering tomorrow's production

Manz AG is a globally active high-tech engineering company.

With a focus on the automotive industry and electromobility, battery production, electronics, energy, and medical technology, Manz develops and builds innovative and efficient production solutions: From customized single machines for laboratory production or pilot and small series production, to standardized modules and systems, to turnkey lines for mass production.

Technologically, Manz's production systems are based on many years of experience in automation, laser processing, inspection systems, wet chemistry, and digital printing.

With currently around 1,500 employees, the Manz Group develops and produces in Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, China and Taiwan. Sales and service subsidiaries also exist in the USA and India.

Manz AG was founded in 1987 and has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2006. In fiscal year 2022, the Group generated revenues of around EUR 251 million.

Contact:

Manz AG Axel Bartmann Tel.: +49 (0)7121 - 9000-395 Fax: +49 (0)7121 - 9000-99 E-mail: abartmann@manz.com

cometis AG Claudius Krause Tel.: +49 (0)611 - 205855-28 Fax: +49 (0)611 - 205855-66 E-mail: krause@cometis.de