Houlihan Lokey Advises Gilde Healthcare on Its Investment in Koscher & Würtz

Transaction: Gilde Healthcare

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Gilde Healthcare has invested in German precision surgical instruments contract manufacturer Koscher & Würtz. The acquisition represents a major step for Gilde Healthcare in forming a market-leading instrument contract manufacturing group, following its initial investment in Chr. Diener less than 18 months ago. Houlihan Lokey acted as debt advisor to Gilde Healthcare.

Koscher & Würtz will join as a group company next to Chr. Diener, together employing approximately 300 highly qualified staff members. By joining forces, K&W and Chr. Diener will be able to offer their clients an even broader portfolio of products while benefitting from the sharing of expertise and best practices. The joint vision is to create a leading contract manufacturer of precision medical instruments.

Headquartered in Spaichingen, Germany, Koscher & Würtz develops and manufactures reusable and disposable surgical instruments for world-class original equipment manufacturers. Founded in 1983, Koscher & Würtz grew to a leading player in its market niche. Its continued focus on quality and customer satisfaction has resulted in long-term customer relationships and allowed the company to grow with its clients.

Chr. Diener, headquartered in Tuttlingen, Germany, was acquired by Gilde Healthcare in July 2022. Founded in 1900, the company builds on a long heritage of surgical instrument making. Today, the company has a market-leading reputation for designing and manufacturing customer-specific reusable instruments for leading international clients. With Gilde’s support, Chr. Diener expanded its production capacity, readying the company for further organic growth.

Gilde Healthcare is a specialized healthcare investor managing more than €2.6 billion across two fund strategies: Venture&Growth and Private Equity. The Venture&Growth fund of Gilde Healthcare invests in fast-growing companies active in digital health, medtech, and therapeutics based in Europe and North America. The Private Equity fund of Gilde Healthcare participates in profitable lower-middle-market healthcare companies based in Northwestern Europe.

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