MAHLE acquires share of diagnostics specialist Brain Bee

Stuttgart, September 11, 2017 – The MAHLE Group has agreed on a strategic minority participation in Brain Bee, a manufacturer of automotive workshop equipment. MAHLE acquires a 20-percent participation in Brain Bee. MAHLE is thereby expanding its expertise in vehicle diagnostics, emission management, air conditioning service, and fluid management. MAHLE Aftermarket is thus driving forward its development as a solutions provider and strengthening its presence in the field of workshop equipment and services, particularly in the European market.

Brain Bee AG, founded in Parma/Italy in 2001, specializes in the development and production of diagnostic equipment and software, air conditioning service equipment, and vehicle exhaust analysis. Especially in the field of diagnostics and air conditioning service, there are numerous parallels and synergies with MAHLE Service Solutions, the workshop equipment and services division of MAHLE Aftermarket GmbH.

“Brain Bee is the ideal partner to further develop our services for automotive workshops,” says Olaf Henning, Managing Director of MAHLE Aftermarket GmbH. “The company has extensive expertise in electronics and software. With our collaboration in development and production, we are strengthening our position as a solutions provider for workshop equipment, a business segment with great potential.”

“Our partnership with MAHLE allows us to respond effectively to the challenges of a global market and to reap the full benefit of our research and development work in recent years. As a result, we continue asserting ourselves as a leader in technological innovations,” says Carlo Rocchi, CEO of Brain Bee AG. “We intend to carry on in this direction, in order to deliver innovative solutions to the workshop supply chain together. After several years of successful business collaboration, we have decided to take our partnership to the next level with MAHLE becoming a shareholder.”

Thanks to Brain Bee’s strong European presence, this strategic participation is an important step in aligning the activities of MAHLE Service Solutions regarding vehicle diagnostics, air conditioning service and other workshop solutions even better with the needs of its customers, especially in Europe. At the same time, Brain Bee can benefit from the success of MAHLE Service Solutions in North America.

About MAHLE

MAHLE is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry as well as a pioneer for the mobility of the future. The MAHLE Group is committed to making transportation more efficient, more environmentally friendly, and more comfortable by continuously optimizing the combustion engine, driving forward the use of alternative fuels, and laying the foundation for the worldwide introduction of e-mobility. The group’s product portfolio addresses all the crucial issues relating to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—both for drives with combustion engines and for e-mobility. MAHLE products are fitted in at least every second vehicle worldwide. Components and systems from MAHLE are also used off the road—in stationary applications, for mobile machinery, rail transport, as well as marine applications.

 In 2016, the group generated sales of approximately EUR 12.3 billion with about 77,000 employees and is represented in 34 countries with 170 production locations. At 15 major development centres in Germany, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Spain, Slovenia, the USA, Brazil, Japan, China, and India, 6,000 development engineers and technicians are working on innovative solutions for the mobility of the future.

About MAHLE Aftermarket

MAHLE Aftermarket, the business unit specialising in spare parts, uses the expertise from the series production of original equipment in its automotive aftermarket product range, and supplies trade, workshop, and engine repair partners. MAHLE Aftermarket is represented at 24 locations and other sales offices worldwide, with 1,555 employees. In 2016, the business unit achieved a global sales volume of 899 million euros. 

For further information, contact:

MAHLE GmbH
Bettina Schlegel
Corporate Communications Aftermarket
Pragstraße 26–46
70376 Stuttgart/Germany

Phone +49 711 501-13185
bettina.schlegel@mahle.com