Haas Is Now a Member of the Bühler Group

The Haas Group, the global market leader in the field of wafer, cookie, and confectionery production systems, is now part of the Bühler Group, after obtaining the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities. The transaction was closed in the first week of January 2018.

Whereas this strategic acquisition enables Bühler to complete its consumer foods product portfolio, Haas now benefits from the resources of the global Bühler organization, in particular its approximately 100 service stations and its innovation network. “This means we are opening a new chapter in the consumer food market, and we feel confirmed by the broad approval that we have received from many customers and employees,” says Bühler CEO Stefan Scheiber.

Haas, a family-owned company that was set up over 100 years ago in Vienna, Austria, has evolved into the world’s market leader in the field of production systems for making wafers, hard and soft cookies, ice cones, cakes, and bakery products. With its global workforce of 1,750 employees, Haas generates annual sales of about EUR300m and operates its own production sites in six countries.

To date, Bühler has not engaged in the promising wafer and cookie production market.

Bühler will now make its global network of some 100 service stations accessible to the customers of Haas as quickly as possible, integrate Haas in the Bühler innovation management organization and network, and in the medium term develop complete solutions for producing wafers, cookies, and confectionery products with chocolate.

“The powerful presence of Bühler in Asia is another factor that enables the two combined companies to seize new opportunities in this major growth market for wafer and cookie products,” says Germar Wacker, who is now in charge of the Haas business within the Bühler Group.

Following the successful closing, the integration of Haas in the Bühler Group is well under way. Wacker says the focus is on the generation of customer value and the strengthening of the companies’ positions in their various markets. Many customers as well as employees have responded in a positive way. “This approval additionally motivates us to seize the wide range of opportunities presented by this acquisition and to take advantage of the resulting added value,” says Wacker.