In mid-August, the ebm-papst Group and the U.S.-based Madison Air announced the acquisition of ebm-papst. The shareholder families have signed an agreement to transfer their shares. The transaction is based on a valuation of 5.1 billion euros (enterprise value).

New owner with a long-term focus

With Madison, ebm-papst aims to gain a long-term owner with financial strength and experience in innovation and scaling. Madison, in turn, expands its portfolio to include ebm-papst’s ventilation and motor technology as well as its engineering expertise, and gains better access to European and Asian markets. The transaction is expected to accelerate the growth of both companies.

Madison Air specializes in air quality solutions for business-critical applications. Its markets include, among others, healthcare, industrial manufacturing, cleanrooms, data centers, and residential buildings. While Madison has primarily operated in North America to date, ebm-papst brings a strong market position in Europe and Asia. Conversely, ebm-papst is expected to benefit from Madison’s operational expertise and access to the U.S. capital market.

The founding families view Madison as the ideal partner for ebm-papst

The shareholder families view Madison Air as the ideal partner to sustain ebm-papst’s growth trajectory over the long term. They cite Madison’s financial strength, long-term business vision, and strong position in the U.S. market as particularly decisive factors. At the same time, the existing corporate culture is to be preserved.

Investments are intended to strengthen ebm-papst and its employees

According to its own statements, Madison intends to continue investing in employees, technology, and growth. The company emphasizes the importance of ebm-papst’s decades-long history and the expertise it has built up in Mulfingen.

The group employs more than 13,000 people worldwide, including approximately 5,800 in Germany. Mulfingen will remain the headquarters as well as a key research, development, and production site. Existing labor law obligations, collective bargaining agreements, and company agreements are not expected to be affected by the transaction.

The core Air Technology business is expected to grow, as is the data center business.

CEO Dr. Klaus Geißdörfer believes ebm-papst is strategically well-positioned for the future. The core Air Technology business is growing, as is the data center business. Madison offers the opportunity to further tap into existing potential and, in particular, to improve access to the U.S. market.

Focus on future-oriented topics is paying off

The expansion of digital infrastructure and advances in artificial intelligence are driving the demand for efficient and scalable cooling solutions. That is why ebm-papst focuses, among other things, on data centers, AI infrastructure, electrification, energy efficiency, and sustainable heating and cooling solutions.

With its AI-based NEXAIRA platform, the company connects physical products with digital functions. Among other things, it enables demand-based control and predictive maintenance and is designed to reduce energy consumption in data centers.

The transaction is still subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. It is expected to close toward the end of 2026.

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