Noerr advises shareholders of Südweststahl Group on cross-border merger with Van Merksteijn Steel Group to create the RSE Group

A Noerr team led by Jan-Philipp Meier, Marco Siemers and Christian Haagen has advised the shareholders of Südweststahl Group as lead counsel on its successful cross-border merger with the Van Merksteijn Steel Group. As agreed in a joint venture agreement entered into in December 2024, the owner families transferred their interests in the Südweststahl Group and Van Merksteijn Steel Group to the newly founded Reinforcing Steel Europe B.V. (RSE Group). The merger was approved by the relevant competition authorities in five European countries.

This strategic alliance marks a significant milestone for both groups and consolidates their position as one of the leading manufacturers and processors of reinforcing steel in Europe. The RSE Group has subsidiaries in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Apart from manufacturing and processing reinforcing steel, they are also involved in the fields of by-products, plant engineering, training, sales and service. The RSE Group’s head office will be located in Almelo in the Netherlands.

The merger of the two groups is the result of an intensive strategic process and their response to current challenges in the steel industry. With this partnership, they aim to secure the companies’ future and create a solid, broad-based foundation for their core business, which is the production, processing and distribution of reinforcing steel and reinforcement products. RSE Group focuses on improving efficiency, transforming the steel industry and protecting the environment by producing green steel.

Among other advantages, the merger will allow the Südweststahl Group to optimise the production capacity of its two steel and rolling mill plants, Badische Stahlwerke in Kehl and Moselstahlwerk in Trier, because the wire rod production can now be completely processed within the RSE Group. Van Merksteijn Steel Group, on the other hand, will benefit from a secure supply of sustainable wire rod, produced in more eco-friendly electric arc furnaces (EAFs). Badische Stahlwerke is one of the most modern electric steelworks in Germany. It recycles steel scrap in a resource-efficient manner and melts it down using electricity to produce new, environmentally friendly steel.

Noerr acted as lead counsel to the shareholders of the Südweststahl Group in this cross-border transaction, providing a wide range of advice covering all transaction-related agreements, tax structuring aspects, the financing structure, employee participation issues, antitrust and competition law and other matters.

Advisors to Südweststahl Group: Noerr

Lead: Jan-Philipp Meier (partner, M&A), Marco Siemers (senior associate, both Hamburg), Christian Haagen (senior associate, Munich)

Corporate/M&A: Jan Hoffmann Linhard (associated partner), Kevin Stumme (associate), Leonie Köster (associate, all Hamburg)

Employment & Pensions: Boris Blunck (partner), Johannes Allmendinger (associated partner, both Frankfurt)

Banking & Finance: Alexander Schilling (partner), Marius Fischer (associate, both Frankfurt)

Digital Business: Torsten Kraul (partner), Marvin Bartels (senior associate, both Berlin)

Antitrust & Competition: Till Steinvorth (partner, Hamburg), Markus Brösamle (associated partner, Berlin), Jan-Hendrick Fitzl (senior associate), Carolin Sophie Schütte (associate, both Hamburg)

Tax: Andre Happel (partner), Thomas Renner (senior associate, both Frankfurt)

Advisors to the shareholders and the Südweststahl Group: Christian Kusenbach, Kusenbach Legal

Local counsel:

Netherlands: Houthoff Cooperatief U.A.

France: Geradin Partners

Austria: DORDA Rechtsanwälte GmbH