Founded in 1978 and located in Dijon, Saint Vit (Doubs) and Viriat (Ain), SOCATER specialises in energy transport and distribution networks, as well as in town planning. The company was placed in compulsory liquidation in May 2019 due to serious cash flow problems.

LAMY LEXEL's Restructuring team, comprising Édouard BERTRAND (partner lawyer) and Mohamed BOUZENADA (lawyer) then assisted SERPOLLET in formalising a takeover bid submitted to the Commercial Court of Dijon. They analysed SOCATER's financial, legal, human and technical situation and helped SERPOLLET's management team build an attractive takeover bid, based on the analysis of SOCATER, in line with SERPOLLET's strategic objectives.

LAMY LEXEL thus assisted the potential buyer in:
-    defining the takeover strategy and analysing the scope of the takeover (assets, contracts, markets)
-    negotiating with partners (procedural bodies, contracting partners, banks)
-    drawing up and drafting the offer and deeds of sale of the company
-    presenting the bid to the Commercial Court of DIJON.

SERPOLLET made a takeover bid, enabling 95% of jobs to be saved. Validated by the Commercial Court in July, SOCATER officially joined the SERFIM group, in its energy branch, through its acquisition by SERPOLLET.

The objective is to develop a strong presence in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region by capitalising on the business synergies and skills of each company within the branch. SOCATER will provide in particular the human and strategic skills and technical know-how in specific fields such as the overhead transmission markets. By 2021, the new entity SERPOLLET-SOCATER will have an enlarged geographical territory and a target turnover of 18 to 25 million euros.

A common future that is a real relief for the former manager and the teams of SOCATER, with the satisfaction of seeing this family business continue trading, within a structured and growing group!

About SERFIM Group
Turnover of €123m in 2018 - 7 companies - 780 employees