Automotive supplier Benecke-Kaliko (Hanover / Germany; www.benecke-kaliko.com), a subsidiary of international technology company Continental (Hanover / Germany; www.continental.de), is to acquire surface design specialist Hornschuch Group (Weissbach / Germany; www.hornschuch.de).

Hans-Jürgen Duensing, member of the Continental executive board and CEO of ContiTech AG, said: “This acquisition is a strategically important and logical step for our company. Hornschuch generates more than half of its sales with industrial applications. We are thereby consistently and sustainably strengthening our global business outside the automotive industry.”

The Hornschuch Group is a leading manufacturer of design, functional and compact films, foam laminates, and artificial leather for industrial applications and for the automotive sector. The company generated sales of EUR 410m in 2015. It has over 1,800 employees working at four production sites in Germany and the US.

Benecke-Kaliko develops and manufactures surface materials for passenger and commercial vehicles, the off-highway sector, and other industries at seven locations in Germany, China, Mexico, Poland and Spain, and operates 16 international sales offices in North and South America, Asia and Europe. The company recorded sales of around EUR 550m in 2015.