Buyer found for Atlas Group

Atlas Group in Germany will be acquired by Buhler Versatile from Canada.

The news follows its period of administration since February. A letter of intent was signed on 2 June and the notarisation is scheduled for 8 June for Buhler to acquire the operating business of loader crane and excavator manufacturer Atlas Gruppe.

Atlas cranes on show at the Bauma exhibition. Photo: Alex Dahm / KHL Group

Buhler Industries, owner of Versatile Tractor, a North American manufacturer of agricultural machinery with a production facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The agreement is to acquire all assets in the operating companies, including: Atlas GmbH, Atlas Spare Parts GmbH, Atlas Group Services GmbH, Atlas Kompakt GmbH, and the shares in British company Atlas Cranes UK Ltd.

Atlas said this marks a significant milestone in the restructuring of the Atlas Group, with clear prospects for the future. It will include the transfer of “a substantial portion” of Atlas employees.

Purchase price and further details are confidential, Atlas said.

Ownership chain

In its turn, Buhler is an ASKO Holding company. ASKO is a family-owned industrial group based in Turkey with more than 2,500 employees. In addition to Canada, it operates in the agricultural and construction machinery sectors in Turkey and the USA.

ASKO Holding completed the acquisistion of all publicly traded shares in Buhler Industries on 28 March 2025, having started with the acquisition of the majority of shares in December 2023. Atlas complements the group with its well-known brand, machine expertise and its dealer networks. Its acquisition gives Buhler a stronger presence in Europe.

The deal will go ahead if approved by authorities, primarily under the Foreign Trade and Payments Act, and agreement with the works council for socially responsible solutions regarding the workforce, Atlas said.