Smart Industries

Digital & Industrial are the keywords that will make the difference tomorrow and what we are doubling down on with Smart Industries.

The Smart Industries team believes in and invests in a winning formula based on entrepreneurs and management teams that combine deep technical and technological knowledge with sound business acumen. The technology/digital landscape is only going to become increasingly complex and evolve at a rapid pace. Companies are increasingly looking for targeted solutions or expert partners to support them. Manual or analogue business processes are being fully automated or digitized.

Companies are rethinking how they produce and where best to locate their operations at a time when the industrial and logistics supply chain is under pressure from scarcity or rising energy and labour costs, and when companies are increasingly accountable for their emissions and carbon footprints. Those that can ensure efficient, secure and sustainable supply, or partners who can help, have an advantage.

Nowadays, most resilient industrial companies design products and/or services with a digital edge. Blending industrial expertise & digital expertise grants companies leverage to success. Smart Industries is fully committed to leading growth companies positioned at the intersection of digital and industrial, fusing both areas of expertise to offer total solutions.

Why Gimv Smart Industries?

Growth
Buy-and-build, organic growth through international expansion, capacity expansion or strategic partnerships, strategic repositioning, etc.
Finance excellence
Capital allocation, refinancing, reporting & KPI setting, working capital management, etc.
Human capital development
Board & management capabilities, succession planning, recruitment & retention of
service delivering staff, etc.
Operational excellence
Production automation, IT upgrades & digitalisation, trainings, etc.
Sustainability maturity
Decarbonisation, energy efficiency, waste management, etc.
Exit readiness
Preparing the business model to be future proof

Investment focus

Digital / Tech
Companies developing software or offering value-added ICT services
Digital Industries
Companies that combine hardware and software technologies to develop and market digitalisation and automation solutions
Industries
Companies that stand out for their remarkable process expertise, advanced manufacturing, logistic capabilities and market positioning

Investment criteria Investment criteria Investment criteria

Investment criteria

Ambitious and innovative companies with a solid market position and strong growth potential.

Small to medium-sized companies with capital requirements of EUR 5 to 75 million.

Companies headquartered in the Benelux region, France or DACH countries.

Companies with strong management and a clear corporate vision of social added value.

ERS electronic

A shared passion for innovation and technology A shared passion for innovation and technology A shared passion for innovation and technology

A shared passion for innovation and technology

Based in Germering near Munich, ERS electronic GmbH has over 50 years of experience in providing innovative thermal management solutions allowing the semiconductor industry to undertake reliable thermal tests during microchip production. The company has built up a particularly strong reputation with rapid and precise chuck systems that allow air-cooling-based analytical, parameter-related and manufacturing probing for test temperatures ranging from -65°C to +550°C.

Since 2008, ERS electronic has widened, based on its thermal knowledge, its product range in the field of advanced packaging with fully automatic and manual debonding and warpage adjust systems, used today by most semiconductor manufacturers and OSATs (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test Companies) around the world. The company has received broad recognition in the industry for its ability to tackle complex warpage issues that arise in the fan-out wafer-level packaging manufacturing process.

ERS's innovation capabilities and customer-first principles make it an excellent addition to the Smart Industries platform, reflecting its commitment to supporting and developing ambitious companies that drive innovation in their niche. The partnership between Gimv and ERS electronic is founded on the mutual commitment to excellence and passion for innovation and technology. It provides the resources and flexibility to continue pushing the boundaries in product research and development, ensuring that ERS remains at the forefront of its industry.