SMC Corporate Finance advises SWISS KRONO on the acquisition of Collins Pine Company’s particleboard and hardboard business in the USA
SMC Corporate Finance acted as exclusive buy-side advisor to the SWISS KRONO Group on the acquisition of a business unit of Collins Pine Company through a transatlantic asset deal.
The SWISS KRONO Group, headquartered in Lucerne, is a leading international manufacturer of engineered wood products for interior design, flooring, and construction applications. With around 4,800 employees at 11 production sites in Europe and the USA, the Group generates annual revenues of over CHF 1.6 billion and serves customers in more than 120 countries. The transaction represents a strategically significant step in further strengthening its North American presence.
The acquisition covers Collins Pine Company’s particleboard and hardboard business based in Klamath Falls, Oregon (USA). Founded in 1855 and family-owned, Collins manages over 370,000 hectares of FSC-certified forest in California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania and is one of the most established timber companies in the USA. The divested business comprises the production of particleboard and engineered wood panels and mouldings (hardboard), with around 250 employees and a strong market position on the US West Coast. The sale is aligned with Collins’ strategic focus on forest management and lumber production.
Through this acquisition, SWISS KRONO expands its industrial footprint in the USA with a site in the western part of the country, complementing its existing operations in South Carolina. At the same time, the Group strengthens its position in the North American engineered wood products market in a demanding market environment.
“We view this acquisition as a strategic step towards further strengthening our position in the North American market. The Klamath Falls site is an ideal complement to our existing activities and allows us to expand our presence in the western United States in a targeted manner. Together, we aim to develop the Klamath Falls business sustainably – in close partnership with those who know it best: its employees, management, customers, and suppliers,” said Peter Wijnbergen, CEO SWISS KRONO Group.
As exclusive buy-side advisor, SMC Corporate Finance supported its client SWISS KRONO in analysing and valuing the carve-out business, structuring the asset deal, and successfully executing the transaction in a transatlantic context. This included coordinating the due diligence workstreams and negotiating the transaction, working closely with SWISS KRONO’s US-based specialists in accounting, legal, tax, environmental, and real estate matters.
