Wynnchurch Capital

BUSINESS: With global headquarters just outside Detroit, Henniges Automotive, Inc. is a leading designer and manufacturer of a complete line of highly-engineered vehicle sealing systems and anti-vibration products. Henniges Automotive sells to all major North American and European automotive OEM customers including: General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, BMW, Daimler, Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, PSA and others. Henniges Automotive is the second largest global supplier of automotive sealing systems in the world with 16 facilities located throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Germany, the Czech Republic and China.

TRANSACTION: Wynnchurch Capital purchased Metzeler North America in September of 2007. Then, in December of 2007, Wynnchurch Capital purchased GDX Automotive and combined the two businesses under the leadership of Rob DePierre. The combination of Metzeler North America and GDX created the #1 supplier of vehicle sealing systems in North America and the #2 supplier globally. Upon closing the acquisition of GDX, the combined company changed its name to Henniges Automotive, Inc.

Highly respected in Europe, the Henniges name is derived from GDX Automotive's most recognized brand founded in Germany by Ernst Henniges in 1951. Building upon the brand's strong heritage, Henniges Automotive now offers stronger, more diverse product lines around the world.

STRATEGY: Wynnchurch is working in partnership with CEO Rob DePierre, who has extensive experience in the automotive industry after running the North American Operations of Benteler Automotive for many years. Our strategy is to take advantage of superior management systems and design capabilities to drive accelerated growth and product innovation. With stringent focus on customer service, quality control, and continuous improvement across its entire product offering, Henniges will stand out as a leader in its space and is well positioned to continue to grow and take market share.