Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP

01/13/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/13/2025 09:06

Eversheds Sutherland advises on the sale of Sofisport to FN Browning Group

Our team has advised the shareholders of Group Sofisport, the world's leading manufacturer of hunting and sporting shotshells and shotshell components, on its sale to FN Browning Group.

A family-owned French company with historical know-how dating back to the 19th century, Sofisport is headquartered in Paris and employs a total of 1,000 people at fifteen active sites in France, Italy, Spain, the UK and Canada. Its subsidiaries, including Nobel Sport, Cheddite and Sofiam, specialize in the manufacture of ammunition and the production of components including powders, shotshell cases and primers.

The buyer, FN Browning Group, is owned by the Walloon Region, part of the Belgian federal state. It designs and manufactures world-renowned small arms, ammunition and innovative weapon systems. The group markets the FN and Noptel brands, dedicated to its Security & Defense division, and the Browning and Winchester* brands for its Hunting & Shooting activities. Based in Herstal (Liège) since its foundation in 1889, FN Browning Group employs over 3,000 people and has seven production sites in Belgium, Portugal, Finland, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Based on a strong industrial, geographic and cultural complementarity, this major transaction represents a unique opportunity to create a world-class European manufacturer in the highly competitive small arms and ammunition sector.

The acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions precedent for this type of transaction, notably in terms of antitrust and regulatory requirements.

The Eversheds Sutherland team advised the sellers with Jean-Robert Bousquet (partner), Geoffroy Loncle de Forville (counsel) and Victor Grillo (associate) on corporate/M&A aspects. The sellers were also advised on competition law aspects by Freshfields with Jérôme Philippe (partner) and Basile Marin (associate), and on tax law aspects by CMS Francis Lefebvre with Jean-Hugues de la Berge (partner).

The buyer was advised by Jones Day, with a team including Audrey Bontemps (partner), Aurélie Camard (counsel) and Antoine Moulin (associate) for corporate/M&A aspects, Alexandre Verheyden (partner) for competition law aspects and Nicolas André (partner) for tax law aspects.

Capitalmind Investec acted as financial advisor to the sellers, with a team including Kilian de Gourcuff (partner), Jean-Paul Bruna, Thibault Bazillon and Louis Le Clec'h.

BNP Paribas Fortis acted as financial advisor to the buyer, with a team composed of Olivier Limage, Filippo Boeri Erba, Martin Cattoir, Robin Lourme, Philip Wellens, Edouard Farrero and Tristan Bruynsteen.

*Winchester is a registered trademark of Olin Corporation.

The materials on the Eversheds Sutherland website are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. While reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the materials may not reflect the most current legal developments. Eversheds Sutherland disclaims liability for actions taken based on the materials. Always consult a qualified lawyer for specific legal matters. To view the full disclaimer, see our Terms and Conditions or Disclaimer section in the footer.

Key contacts

Jean-Robert Bousquet

Partner

Paris, France

Geoffroy Loncle de Forville

Counsel

Paris, France

Victor Grillo

Associate

Paris, France

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