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Munich/Madrid - In the future, TÜV SÜD will hold 100 per cent of the shares in the Spanish ATISAE Group. Involving a workforce of 1,300-plus and revenue of over EUR 80 million, the acquisition will be the largest in the 150-year history of the international provider of testing and certification services. ATISAE is one of the leading providers of testing and inspection services on the Iberian peninsula.

“By acquiring ATISAE we will sustainably strengthen not only our business operations in Spain, but also our position in western Europe”, says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Stepken, Chairman of the Board of TÜV SÜD AG. “This acquisition, the largest in our company’s history, will give us access to an important and exciting market”. Besides being the fifth largest national economy in the European Union, Spain is the second largest car manufacturer in the EU, has the longest network of motorways in Europe and ranks fourth worldwide in terms of installed wind power capacity. Offering a broad portfolio of services, ATISAE operates in many sectors of industry and is thus a perfect match for the TÜV SÜD Group. After the acquisition, the German corporation employs around 24.000 staff around the world, with international employees accounting for over half of the workforce.

The global market for testing, inspection and consulting (TIC) services is undergoing an on-going phase of major consolidation. “Over recent years, we have focused on the acquisition of smaller enterprises to expand our portfolio”, explains Prof. Stepken. “This acquisition of a large provider of testing and inspection services like ATISAE clearly underlines our objective of being one of the global leaders in this market.” To reach this goal, TÜV SÜD will increase its shareholding in the Spanish group from 45 to 
100 percent.

Established in 1964, Asistencia Técnica Industrial S.A.E. (ATISAE), headquartered in Madrid, is one of the leading providers of testing and inspection services on the Iberian peninsula. The group operates in three fields of activities: industrial safety, vehicle inspection and automotive consulting. Its workforce of 1,300-plus generate revenue of over EUR 84 million, primarily from industrial inspections and periodic technical inspections of motor vehicles. “We have built an excellent reputation in Spain”, explains Javier García-Atance, President of the ATISAE Group, who attributes this positive development to the continuous efforts of management and the great dedication of the employees across all divisions. “I am very happy that ATISAE has been given the opportunity of continuing its successful development together with the TÜV SÜD Group, and I am confident that integration into TÜV SÜD’s international network will offer many new, promising opportunities”, says Javier García-Atance.

ATISAE and its subsidiaries operate 34 service centres throughout Spain, which carry out the periodic technical inspections of vehicles required by law. In the field of automotive consulting, ATISAE’s specialists support manufacturers, suppliers and retailers in the automotive industry, providing comprehensive consulting and training services. The acquisition now offers TÜV SÜD the chance to drive targeted further expansion of its existing European consulting network for manufacturers, suppliers and retailers. ”ATISAE’s comprehensive service portfolio in this area enables us to complement the services we offer to the Spanish automotive market and to leverage appropriate synergies”, notes a pleased Dr Bertolt Gärtner, CEO of ATISAE Group.

ATISAE’s services in the field of industrial safety include testing and inspection of industrial installations, environmental analyses and material testing as well as support in the establishment of quality management systems. “ATISAE’s wide range of services and its nationwide presence offer an excellent basis for rolling out more TÜV SÜD services in Spain”, explains Dr Bertolt Gärtner. According to Dr Gärtner, industries of special interest in Spain include the chemical, petrochemical, metal, mechanical engineering and wind energy sectors.