GSK Stockmann provided Westfalen AG with comprehensive advice on the reorganisation of its corporate structure. As part of the restructuring, the operating business was spun off into Westfalen AG & Co. KG. The long-established, family-owned company will operate under its new legal form from 1 July 2026.
A GSK Stockmann team led by partners Jennifer Bierly and Dr Philipp Kuhn advised Westfalen AG on the structuring of the spin-off under company law, as well as on preparing and implementing the spin-off within the company. The team’s advice also covered aspects of employment law, in particular matters relating to co-determination and collective agreements, and included support in connection with real estate issues.
Founded in 1923, the Westfalen Group is a family-owned company headquartered in Münster. It has over 100 years of experience operating in the fields of industrial gases, cooling and heating, filling stations and mobility, as well as respiratory home therapy. With a team of 2,300 employees, the group generated revenue of over EUR 2.1 billion in the 2024 financial year. Through its subsidiaries and associated companies, it operates at over 20 production sites in Germany, as well as in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Austria.
By restructuring as Westfalen AG & Co. KG, the company is laying the foundations for its long-term strategic development as a family-owned business.
Drawing on its interdisciplinary approach and many years of experience in supporting complex restructuring projects, GSK Stockmann provided Westfalen AG with comprehensive advice on this strategically significant project. A well-coordinated team specialising in corporate, employment and real estate law worked closely with Westfalen AG’s other tax and legal advisers to ensure the efficient implementation of all legal steps.
Advisers of Westfalen AG at GSK Stockmann:
Jennifer Bierly (lead), Dr Philipp Kuhn (Employment), Dr Olaf Schmechel, Çağlayan Birkan (both Real Estate Transactions & Investments), Robert Korndörfer (Corporate), Dr Bernd Graßl (Stock Corporation Law); Associates: Raphaela Guderian, Katrin Zukovskaja, Dr Christian Bürcky (all Employment), Jonas Kurbjuweit (Corporate)
