REYL Corporate Finance (REYL CF), the investment banking arm of REYL Intesa Sanpaolo (REYL), acts as sole financial advisor to PANOLIN Group on the sale of its Environmentally Considerate Lubricants (ECLs) business to Shell Lubricants.

Based in Madetswil, Switzerland, PANOLIN is a leading full-range international lubricants supplier and a pioneer in high-performing environmentally considerate lubricants (ECLs) since 1983. PANOLIN Group is an independent company that has been owned and managed by the Lämmle family since 1949.

ECLs are biodegradable lubricants which help contribute to a more sustainable future, by offering greater protection for wildlife and ecosystems in the event that they come into contact with the environment, in comparison to conventional lubricants. Shell, the leading international energy giant, intends to fully integrate the business into its global lubricants business within two years of completion, in line with Shell’s Powering Progress approach to accelerate the transition to Net Zero by 2050.

With its proven track record in world leading ECL manufacturing, the business will complement Shell’s current product offering and enable it to be a player in the global market for ECLs, which is expected to expand significantly over the coming years.

REYL Intesa Sanpaolo acted as sole financial advisor to PANOLIN throughout all of the steps of the transaction, which successfully closed on 14 December 2022.

Xavier Ledru, Head of REYL Corporate Finance, said: “We are proud to have supported PANOLIN, a leader in the field of environmentally considerate lubricants throughout this entire sale process to Shell. This transaction marks a further milestone in REYL’s Corporate Finance business line. It is another example of the seamless cooperation with our Zurich branch, in a full 360° approach to the needs of entrepreneurial owners.”

Chris Bauer, Head of Zurich Branch at REYL, commented: “This transaction reasserts REYL’s expertise in providing tailored advice in the context of complex corporate finance transaction both in Switzerland and internationally.”

Patrick Lämmle, member of the Board of Directors of PANOLIN Holding AG said: “Our technology has already started to disrupt the status quo in lubricant manufacturing. As playing their part in achieving Net Zero moves up the agenda for business leaders, Shell is the perfect partner to see PANOLIN’s vision through in the years to come.”