Prague (December 18, 2023) ? Colt CZ Group SE (“Colt CZ”, the “Group” or the “Company”) hereby announces that on December 18, 2023, it executed an agreement with CBC Europe S.à r.l. (“CBC”) to purchase 100% interest in Sellier & Bellot a.s. (“Sellier & Bellot”).
Colt CZ shall acquire 100% of shares of Sellier & Bellot for the combination of the cash consideration in the amount of $350 million and a new issue of Colt CZ common stock leading to a 27–28% CBC’s stake in the share capital of Colt CZ Group post transaction. The final number of CBC shareholding in Colt CZ Group will be determined depending on the audited financial results of both companies for the year 2023. The acquisition will be financed through a combination of the Company’s existing cash resources and debt financing. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval in various countries and is expected to close in the first half of 2024.
“We are proud to welcome one of the oldest and most important producers of small caliber ammunition, Sellier & Bellot, to Colt CZ Group. This acquisition fits into our long-term strategy to expand not only in our core segment of small arms, but also in related areas, with ammunition being a natural complement to our products. We look forward to working with the management of Sellier & Bellot, its employees, partners, and customers, as well as the new opportunities that the connection with Sellier & Bellot will undoubtedly bring to our entire Group,” said Jan Drahota, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Colt CZ Group. “We are pleased that CBC believes in our story and our strategy and is to become the second largest shareholder of Colt CZ Group,” added Jan Drahota.
“The successful contribution of one of CBC Global Ammunition Group’s flagship companies to Colt CZ Group in exchange for a significant shareholding marks the starting point of an impactful strategic collaboration. We are convinced of Colt CZ management’s long-term vision and believe the transaction will lead to remarkable value creation between the ammunition and firearms segments. Our subsidiary Magtech Ammunition will continue to serve as the dedicated sales entity for Sellier & Bellot products in the United States. This ensures exceptional customer service and reliable distribution to further preserve Sellier & Bellot’s trajectory of growth in the most relevant ammunition market,” comments Fabio Mazzaro, CFO of CBC Global Ammunition LLC.
“I am delighted that Sellier & Bellot, after many successful years in the CBC Group, will become part of Colt CZ Group, which has Czech roots and, at the same time, an international presence. We are convinced that the connection with Colt CZ Group will bring a great future for Sellier & Bellot. We will continue to build our traditional brand and work closely with the Colt CZ Group team in developing our products to deliver the best solutions to our customers,” said Radek Musil, CEO of Sellier & Bellot.
Sellier & Bellot is a traditional Czech ammunition manufacturer which ranks among the oldest engineering companies in the Czech Republic and worldwide. The company’s products have been manufactured under its trademark since 1825. The company’s product portfolio includes a wide range of hunting and sporting ammunition and components for pistols and revolvers, rifles, shotguns and rimfire cartridges. Sellier & Bellot is also a major supplier of small caliber ammunition to military and law enforcement customers worldwide. The company has approximately 1,600 employees and operates its main production facility in Vlašim, Czech Republic.
CBC Global Ammunition LLC and CBC Europe S.à r.l. are the holding entities for a group of companies internationally active in the ammunition sector: CBC Brazil, Magtech Ammunition, MEN, SinterFire, New Lachaussée and Fritz Werner. Together, this strategic alliance forms one of the largest ammunition corporations in the world, with a combined experience of more than 300 years in the manufacturing of small and medium calibers.
I’m not excited about the gradual monopolization of the ammo industry by massive conglomerates. Czechoslovak Group (CSG) now owns Federal, Speer, CCI, and Remington ammo. As a result they have immense price-setting power. Now Colt CZ Group (also Czech) is buying up others. Who is left as a major American ammunition brand? Hornady?
Not going tin foil headwear here but the current administration has amply demonstrated they will do anything and everything to control access to firearms.
If ammo production goes offshore, can an importation ban (something they have demonstrated a willingness to do) be far behind? Can the Fed Gov put administrative restrictions on Domestically produced but Foreign owned ammunition?
Although the Olin Winchester / Lake City “no selling to non-MIL customers” thing from a couple of months back seems to have been blown out of proportion, I can see that easily happening in the future.
Let’s all face facts, you can have all the guns in the world but they are clubs without ammo.
That’s why you should have been stocking up years ago.
Due to Colt’s military contracts, and any other company within CZ’s conglomerate, they have to have a US footprint, organized separately from the foreign parent company.
S&B already is overseas
We are at the point where we are starting to get foreign companies building ammo plants along with the JJE capital and fedarm surges to build domestic capacity.
Olin (Winchester) would be the largest small caliber manufacturer that is US owned.
Imagine trying to become a US ammo manufacturer and getting stonewalled with all the licenses and permits by the bureaucrats along the way. Everything from OSHA to EPA shooting at you. No pun!