schülke continues its successful development as an innovation & sustainability leader under new ownership - focus on further growth

• schülke, the leading provider of infection prevention and treatment for the healthcare and life sciences industries in the field of sustainability, changes shareholders
• A consortium led by ATHOS, a Munich-based family office, has agreed with EQT Private Equity to acquire schülke
• With the support of EQT Private Equity, schülke has established itself as a leading provider in the field of infection prevention and treatment in the healthcare sector and as an industry pioneer in the field of sustainability
• Together with the ATHOS consortium, the management team will continue the successful growth strategy with a focus on innovation for the healthcare sector

Norderstedt, August 7, 2023 - A consortium led by ATHOS today announced an agreement to acquire Schülke & Mayr GmbH ("schülke" or "the Company") from EQT Private Equity. ATHOS is a Munich-based family office investing in companies with an entrepreneurial, long-term and value-oriented approach in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. Together with other co-investors, including Bitburger Holding, they form the ATHOS consortium.

With almost 135 years of tradition, schülke has established itself as a leading partner to the healthcare sector in the development of holistic and system-critical solutions for infection prevention and treatment. As a leading provider of sustainable solutions, the company meets the diverse needs of its customers, which include hospitals and other healthcare facilities, with high-quality products and high delivery reliability. In addition, the company sells its products to pharmacies and care providers as well as to the global life sciences industry. schülke holds market-leading positions in Central and Eastern Europe, Australia and Brazil.

In cooperation with EQT, schülke has developed into a focused, independent company over the past three years and further strengthened its position as a leading provider of infection prevention and treatment in the healthcare sector. An important milestone in this transformation was the strategic realignment towards the healthcare and life sciences markets through the sale of the personal care business. Other successful steps included the geographical expansion into Northern and Southern Europe, the establishment of a direct sales channel for geriatric and nursing care and significant investments in innovations and new product developments. In addition, schülke has become even more customer-oriented and has made significant operational improvements at its locations.

A central component of the partnership between schülke and EQT Private Equity was the implementation of a sustainability strategy that is directly aligned with customer needs. The company has thus positioned itself as an important partner for its customers and supports the more sustainable design of the healthcare sector. Over the past three years, schülke has developed an innovative green product line for hospitals, switched to almost 100% green electricity and committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% by 2030 as part of the Science Based Targets initiative.

Together with the ATHOS consortium, schülke will continue its clearly defined strategy to further establish itself as the preferred partner in the healthcare sector. Building on its almost 135-year tradition as a provider of high-quality, holistic solutions for infection prevention and treatment, the company will continue its focused sustainability agenda, accelerate investments in new product innovations, further strengthen customer loyalty and enter additional geographic markets.

Stefan Kukacka, CEO of schülke, said: "As we embark on the next chapter in schülke's development, we would like to thank EQT Private Equity for their trust and collaboration over the past years. EQT has closely supported our strategic repositioning and has been a key partner in defining our strategy and core strategic initiatives. I would also like to thank all schülke employees who have contributed to the transformation and who have been a driving force behind the successes achieved to date. We are delighted to have found a new owner in the ATHOS consortium who can help us to provide our customers with the best possible service and support them in the next phase of our growth."

Matthias Wittkowski, Partner in EQT Private Equity's Advisory Team, said: "We are proud to have supported schülke in its strategic development into one of the innovation and sustainability leaders in the healthcare sector. Over the past three years, we have been particularly impressed by the commitment and contribution of the entire schülke workforce to the mission of 'Protecting Lives Worldwide'. Together, we have created the successful company that schülke is today - positioned for the future as a sustainable innovation leader. I am convinced that the company has found an excellent partner for the next chapter of its growth strategy in the ATHOS consortium."

Wolfgang Essler, General Manager at ATHOS, said: "schülke has been pioneering infection prevention and treatment for almost 135 years with innovative, high-quality products, proven brands such as octenisept and a strong focus on sustainability. The company's heritage fits in with our philosophy as a long-term investor. We are proud to be working with a consortium of entrepreneurial family offices on this investment. We look forward to supporting schülke, its management and all employees in being the most reliable partner for its customers and end users."

Confidentiality has been agreed on the details of the agreement and the terms and conditions of the transaction. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q4 2023.