07/27/2023

Vossloh issues ESG-linked Schuldschein loans of €60 million

  • Attractive interest rate level secured compared to current market environment
  • Linkage to ambitious EU taxonomy indicator underscores Vossloh's sustainability claim
  • Transaction proceeds expand financial room for activities

Within the scope of a private placement, Vossloh AG ("Vossloh") has issued Schuldschein loans with a volume of €60 million. One half of the loan amount has been contracted with a term of five years, the other with a term of seven years. Both tranches carry variable interest rates. The special feature: The amount of the interest coupon is linked to the conformity rate of sales under the EU Taxonomy Regulation as part of a bonus-malus scheme. Under the EU taxonomy, Vossloh already shows excellent figures. 100 percent of Vossloh's sales are rated taxonomy-eligible and 64 percent taxonomy-aligned in the fiscal year 2022. Vossloh thus ranks among Germany's best companies in both categories.

"With this transaction, we were able to secure attractive interest terms and at the same time further improve our debt maturity profile. The placement not only strengthens our financial flexibility to finance our further growth but also demonstrates the confidence of the investors in the future of our company," says Dr. Thomas Triska, CFO of Vossloh AG, and continues: "The ESG link underscores our commitment to environmental protection and responsible corporate governance. These are the decisive factors for the long-term success of our company."

‘Bayerische Landesbank’ and ‘Landesbank Baden-Württemberg’ acted as joint lead arrangers for the transaction, with the former also acting as ESG advisor for the transaction.

Vossloh is a global technology group which for around 140 years has stood for quality, safety, customer focus, reliability, and innovative strength. With its comprehensive range of rail-related products and services, Vossloh ranks among the world market leaders in this sector. Vossloh offers a uniquely broad range of products and services under one roof: Rail fastening systems, concrete sleepers, switch systems and crossings, as well as innovative and increasingly digital-based services for the entire life cycle of rails and switches. Vossloh uses its systemic understanding of the track to address the central customer need of "availability of the rail track".
Vossloh products and services are in use in more than 100 countries. With some 75 group companies in almost 30 countries and over 40 production locations, Vossloh is active locally worldwide. Vossloh is committed to sustainable corporate governance and climate protection and with its products and services makes an important contribution to the sustainable mobility of people and goods.
The Group's activities are organized into the three divisions Core Components, Customized Modules, and Lifecycle Solutions. In the 2022 fiscal year, Vossloh generated sales revenues of €1,046.1 million with around 3,800 employees.