01.02.2024

Binder Grösswang advised Lucky Car, Austria’s largest non-​contract car repair chain, on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in the financially distressed company ATU Auto-​Teile-Unger (Austria), a business enterprise dealing in motor vehicle accessories, motor vehicle replacement parts, and tires, as well as providing motor vehicle repairs at its branch locations. The transaction involved complex restructuring measures.

The signing of the transaction took place on 27 December 2023, the closing on 31 January 2024. As a result of the acquisition, 24 locations with a total of more than 250 ATU employees were able to remain in business. The motor vehicle repair and automotive parts retail chain ATU, with headquarters in Weiden, Germany, had run into financial difficulties and had for some time been planning to withdraw from the Austrian market.

“We are pleased to have been able to advise Lucky Car on this highly complex transaction and thereby contribute to the growth of Lucky Car as well as to the preservation of the ATU locations in Austria,” says Philipp Kapl.

The Binder Grösswang deal team, led by Partner Philipp Kapl, included Attorney-at-Law Roswitha Seekirchner and Associate Matija Bernat (all corporate/M& specialists) as well as Partner Georg Wabl (restructuring). 

About Lucky Car

Lucky Car is Austria’s market leader in the non-contract motor vehicle repair business. Following the takeover of the Austrian ATU locations, Lucky Car now has 68 branches Austria-wide, where a total of 650 employees carry out all repairs in the fields of paint and bodywork, motor vehicle mechanics and automotive glass for all car brands, in line with the corporate philosophy: highest quality, best customer service, fair price ‒ for all drivers and all target groups. The company has also opened two branches in Switzerland. Lucky Car was founded in 2008 by Ostoja “Ossi” Matic, a self-made man with Serbian roots.

About ATU Auto-​Teile-Unger

ATU Auto-Teile-Unger Handels GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Weiden in der Oberpfalz, Germany, deals in motor vehicle accessories, motor vehicle replacement parts, and tires, and operates a car repair business at its branch locations. Previous to the takeover in Austria, the company was operating in Germany and Austria with some 556 branches in total.