Carsted Rosenberg Advokatfirma Advises on EUR 100 Million Funding of R&D Activities of Heidelberger

A EUR 100 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) is to support the research and development (R&D) activities of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg), focusing on digitisation, software integration and expansion of the digital printing portfolio. To help finance the R&D program, which will span several years, the EIB is providing the company with a development loan that can be drawn down in tranches, each with a seven-year term. This is the first time a large German company has benefited from the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) – the centrepiece of the Investment Plan for Europe. Following on from last year’s comprehensive refinancing activities, the EIB loan, which has a long-term focus stretching to 2024, rounds off the company’s financing mix, helping it to continue pursuing its strategy of innovation in the field of digitisation. “Over the next seven years, the EIB development loan will help us finance our research and development projects for digitisation on attractive terms. The financing framework is the basis for implementing the innovation strategy at Heidelberg and thus achieving the sustained profitable growth we are aiming for,” says Heidelberg CFO Dirk Kaliebe. The European Investment Bank is the European Union’s bank. Its shareholders are the EU Member States. The EIB makes long-term finance available for sound investment projects that tie in with EU policy goals, such as making European countries more competitive and supporting sustainable growth. EFSI is an initiative launched jointly by the EIB Group and the European Commission to help overcome the current investment gap in the EU. By mobilising private finance, it aims to make Europe more competitive and create high-quality jobs. A EUR 21 billion EU/EIB guarantee is expected to unlock EUR 315 billion of additional investment in the real economy by mid-2108.

Lead by global law firm Clifford Chance, Frankfurt, as global lead counsel, Clifford Chance, New York, Clifford Chance, London, Clifford Chance, Amsterdam, Clifford Chance, Paris, Clifford Chance, Singapore, Clifford Chance, Tokyo, Clifford Chance, Hong Kong, Clifford Chance, Brussels, Clifford Chance, Milan, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, Toronto, King & Wood Mallesons, Sydney, Pestalozzi, Zürich, Wolf Theiss and Carsted Rosenberg all acted as local counsels to Heidelberger Druckmaschienen AG on the investment. Allen & Overy advised the EIB as lender’s global lead counsel.