Ams Osram to sell automotive lighting business
Automotive Tier 1 company Plastic Omnium to buy AMLS for €65 million
Ams Osram will sell the independent and dedicated AMLS (Automotive Lighting Systems GmbH) business to Plastic Omnium for a purchase price of €65 million. The transaction represents a further step in the implementation of Ams Osram’s previously communicated strategy to focus on dedicated strategic core technology and divesting businesses that are not seen as core to the corporate strategy.
Ams Osram will continue to be a key supplier of automotive LED and optical components to Plastic Omnium. This transaction does not include other Ams Osram technologies and products for automotive OEM and the automotive aftermarket.
Ams Osram Automotive Lighting Systems GmbH was established on 1 October 2021 following the dissolution of the Osram Continental joint venture. Headquartered in Munich, AMLS combines lighting technology with electronics and software to develop smart and innovative full lighting systems for the automotive industry.
Ams Osram will continue to provide the high-tech innovation in components for automotive, including automotive lighting, covering the entire light spectrum – from visible to invisible light – and sensing applications for the automotive industry. This includes key automotive technology to support optical applications such as driver and interior monitoring, dynamic and static exterior lighting, RGB interior lighting, LiDAR for autonomous driving and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), head-up display, gesture sensing to name but a few areas of innovation.
Dirk Linzmeier, general manager of AMLS, comments on the acquisition: “The combination of Plastic Omnium and AMLS makes perfect sense. Our portfolios are highly complementary, together we expect to expand our market access and we share a similar mission and mindset. We look forward to joining Plastic Omnium to establish a strong mobility lighting player built on AMLS' portfolio of innovative technologies."
“The acquisition of AMLS is a unique opportunity to take an important step into the growing innovative lighting systems segment. Thanks to its advanced product portfolio, strong expertise, balanced footprint, and the quality of its team, this acquisition will allow Plastic Omnium to accelerate its ambitious strategy to meet growing OEM customer demand for smart body car parts and opens up the potential to enter new market segments. We are excited about this latest addition to the Group,” said Laurent Favre, CEO of Plastic Omnium.
The AMLS business generated €148 million in revenues in 2021, has around 770 employees at nine locations worldwide, including 120 engineers working in five dedicated R&D facilities.
With Plastic Omnium, AMLS will join an Automotive Tier 1 supplier group with 30,000 employees serving a global customer base. Headquartered in France, the company posted an annual revenue of €8 billion for 2021.
The closing of the transaction is expected in the third quarter 2022 subject to customary closing conditions.
