Azelis expands its presence in the Swiss market with the acquisition of Georges Walther AG

Azelis today announced the acquisition of Georges Walther AG, an independent family run company based in Switzerland. Originally starting as a sole trading company for commodities in 1942, Georges Walther AG has advanced in the recent years to become a well-respected business partner for specialities and innovations in Switzerland.

With the majority of revenue coming from high quality cosmetic ingredients, essential oils and fragrances, the company has developed an expertise in spheres, beads and soft pearls. In addition, the portfolio also includes pharma ingredients, food supplements and food ingredients.

Jean-Michel Walther, currently CEO & Sales at Georges Walther, will become Business Manager for Personal Care in Switzerland. His key responsibilities will be to further develop the personal care market in Switzerland, reporting to Urs Haller, Managing Director Azelis Switzerland.

Georges Walther AG employs nine people and is based in Pfäffikon (SZ), with a warehouse in Rümlang.

Anna Bertona, Azelis CEO & President EMEA, comments: “Combining this acquisition with existing operations from Azelis Switzerland and Azelis Germany will give us the perfect platform to strengthen our presence in the Swiss market. It will allow us to focus on advanced personal care products in the portfolio and will enable us to be closer to our customers’ R&D centres.”

Jean-Michel Walther, CEO & Sales at Georges Walther adds: “Market consolidation is inevitable in the industry, having access to the Azelis application labs, technical services and network will allow us to continue our growth trajectory. We are looking forward to become part of a larger family – trust and personal relationships are at the heart of our culture, which will fit extremely well with Azelis’ core values.”

The acquisition of Georges Walther AG endorses the commitment of Azelis’ major shareholders – Funds advised by Apax Partners – to support business growth in the speciality food ingredients and chemical segment. Apax Partners is confident that this latest acquisition, following those made since 2015, will bring significant benefits to customers of the combined Group.

The transaction will be closed in the course of the next months.