MÄURER & WIRTZ acquires BALDESSARINI fragrance business

Stolberg, 18th November 2011 – MÄURER & WIRTZ, one of Germany’s leading makers of fine fragrances and bodycare products, has acquired the fragrance business of the BALDESSARINI license from Procter & Gamble. All of the BALDESSARINI perfumes and bodycare products will be transferred to MÄURER & WIRTZ, which is headquartered in Stolberg, Germany.

MÄURER & WIRTZ successfully markets a wide portfolio of own perfume brands, including 4711 Original Eau de Cologne, ACQUA COLONIA, NOUVEAU COLOGNE and Tabac Original as well as licensed brands such as Strellson, MICHALSKY, Otto Kern, New Yorker, Betty Barclay and s.Oliver. The new license sees the company further expanding its international prestige fragrance business.

At the beginning of 2011, MÄURER & WIRTZ implemented a strategic restructure and has since operated through three corporate units: BEAUTY, PRESTIGE and 4711. “One of the aims we had set ourselves with this corporate reorganisation was to expand our license business in the Prestige segment and to drive the internationalisation of all three units, not only in our present markets, but also in new markets”, explained MÄURER & WIRTZ’s Managing Director, Fabian Krone. “Our new brand, BALDESSARINI is a perfect match for this strategy.”

In 2010 MÄURER & WIRTZ reported turnover of around €156 million. The newly acquired brand not only sees the company buying up more sales, but also opening up further new markets where BALDESSARINI has a strong presence. BALDESSARINI is especially strong in the luxury segment in Eastern Europe. The first line of perfume for BALDESSARINI, formerly a Hugo Boss brand, was launched in 2002. The brand with the claim “BALDESSARINI – separates the men from the boys” enjoys great success in the men’s fragrance sector far beyond the borders of Germany. The fragrance assortment comprises a range of eau de toilettes, eau de colognes, after shaves, shower gels and deodorants.

As the licensor and the man the brand is named after, Werner Baldessarini played a key role in the acquisition of the fragrance range by MÄURER & WIRTZ. “BALDESSARINI is a fragrance line that is very close to my heart, and I am delighted that the brand will in future be managed and developed by such a highly experienced and competent partner as MÄURER & WIRTZ. It is a good feeling to know that the brand that I once established is in such good hands”, said Werner Baldessarini.

“The strong brands in our portfolio, and latterly the successful expansion of the 4711 brand, which we acquired in 2006, demonstrate our profound understanding of the strategic leadership of brands”, added Dr. Hermann Wirtz, Managing Partner of MÄURER & WIRTZ. “The BALDESSARINI brand has enormous potential, and we seized the opportunity to acquire a further top-seller for our Prestige business. Now and in future, we are committed to fostering the continuous development of our product portfolio through organic growth and through specific license acquisitions.”

All parties have agreed not to disclose details of the transaction.

[Text/Logo: MÄURER & WIRTZ]