|
Midea, which already owns a 13.5 percent Kuka stake, formally
launched its 115 euros a share offer earlier this month to buy
at least 30 percent of Kuka, valuing the company at 4.5 billion
euros ($5 billion) but causing a furor among German politicians
who have urged Kuka to remain independent.
Earlier this week Midea and Kuka unveiled an investor agreement
which includes a commitment to keep its existing headquarters,
factories and jobs.
Asked how Kuka wants to make sure that Midea will not get a
bigger stake than 49 percent, Reuter told reporters on Wednesday
that the only way to do that is by getting other large
shareholders on board.
"There are still talks ongoing," Reuter said, declining to
elaborate as the talks are confidential.
Kuka's other main shareholders, apart from Midea, are German
mechanical engineering group Voith [VOITH.UL], which holds 25.1
percent of Kuka's shares and German investor Friedhelm Loh, who
has a 10 percent stake.
Loh has not taken a decision yet about what to do with the
stake, while Voith will take a decision in due course, Kuka's
management and supervisory board said in their joint opinion.
(Reporting by Irene Preisinger; Writing by Edward Taylor and
Harro ten Wolde; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
