Orrick Hölters & Elsing advises Europe's largest kitchen manufacturer, Nobilia, in a strategic acquisition of 30% of the shares in France's FBD-Group. FBD-Group (currently operating under the name The Arthur Bonnet Group) is the franchise sales network of the leading Italian kitchen manufacturer Snaidero.

Currently, the FBD-Group runs its business through approximately 280 shops, using the brands Ixina, Cuisine Plus and Cuisine Référence. FBD-Group's main sales areas are France and Belgium with further sales activities made through independent subsidiaries in Spain, Italy, North America and Asia.

In addition to the acquisition of 30% of the shares in the FBD-Group holding company, the transaction included the signing of a shareholders agreement and a long-term distribution agreement. The transaction is subject to a merger control clearance condition—clearance has been issued in Germany and Austria—and additional countries are pending at this time.

The Orrick team was led by Düsseldorf M&A partner Oliver Duys. His team was composed of Orrick partners, including Andrés Martin-Ehlers (Frankfurt, Merger Control), Alfred Fink (Paris, Business Law), Philippe Rincazaux (Paris, Merger Control), Anna Spano (Milan, Corporate) as well as associates Ulrich Klockenbrink (Düsseldorf), Benoit Zagdoun (Paris), Nicolas Leveque (Paris), Gentien Hoang (Paris) and Pierre Storck (Paris).