juwi Signs 252 Million Euro Syndicated Loan with German Banking Consortium

It is a milestone for the juwi group as well as an important and positive signal for the further realization of the German energy transition (Energiewende): Under the leadership of Deutsche Bank, DZ Bank and UniCredit, a banking consortium of 13 financial institutions provides the German specialist for renewable energies with a credit line of 252 million euro. “This syndicated loan is the financial basis for our operative business in the next three years”, juwi CFO Martin Winter said at the signing of the agreement. The financial volume could be increased by one fourth compared to the previous, exclusively bilateral financial commitment.

“For the juwi group, the signing of the syndicated loan is a key component of the company’s business finance” says Sascha Röber, juwi’s Head of Corporate Finance. Röber and his team negotiated the contract. “It is a distinctly visible act of faith from the financial world which cannot be valued highly enough against the backdrop of the problems of many other companies, especially in the solar sector”, Röber continues.

An especially positive thing: “The principal of debt exceeds the minimum volume targeted by us. Moreover, five new banks, including the KfW banking group, have taken a share in the loan. Thus, we gain immensely in planning certainty and stability for the next strategic steps”; juwi CFO Martin Winter states.

Christian Adrian, Head of Department Small Firm Sector at DZ BANK AG (Deputy Director) says: “With the successful signing of the syndicated loan the juwi AG is provided with a financial scope for new economic growth in the renewable energy market.”

In 2012 German energy specialist juwi has repositioned itself strategically to be better prepared for the upcoming challenges in a dynamic energy market. The company’s core business, project development, has been pooled together in a new company called “juwi Energieprojekte GmbH”. Here, particularly wind power will continue to play a vital role: In 2012 juwi was already leading the wind market (onshore) in terms of new installations. “We expect a similar good position this year”; Winter says.

juwi’s strategy of a cautious internationalization and penetration of selected foreign markets, the strengthening of the company’s activities in the field of technical and commercial management as well as the development of an end costumers business with eco-friendly electricity and wood fuels is obviously respected by the banks. The company’s implemented cost-cutting measures and principles of consolidation have also been considered positively by the financial institutions.
 
   
About the juwi group

juwi is one of the world’s leading specialists for renewable energies with a strong regional presence and offers project development as well as products for the energy turnaround. Our goal: 100 percent renewable energies. Our impetus: Work together to implement renewable energies economically and reliably with passion. From site selection to planning, construction and financing up to management – juwi is the competent partner for the energy turnaround with a regional focus.

juwi was founded in 1996 by Matthias Willenbacher and Fred Jung in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Today, the company employs more than 1,700 people in more than 15 countries and had an annual turnover of approx. 1.1 billion Euro in 2012. Company activities include mainly solar, wind and bio energy – greenfield development as well as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC). The company’s own research division develops solutions and components to make power from renewable energies even more reasonably priced. Storage technologies (e.g. juwi Home Power, the battery storage system for solar power plants), Green Buildings and wood pellets complete the portfolio.

Up to date, juwi has developed more than 100 wind farms with around 700 wind turbines and an output of around 1,400 megawatts. In the solar sector, more than 1,500 solar power plants with a total output of around 1,300 megawatts were realized. Combined, these plants generate approx. 5 billion kilowatt hours of green energy per year; that corresponds to the annual power consumption of approx. 1.4 million households, according to German standards. In the bio energy sector, juwi has realized numerous wood pellet production plants, biogas plants and heating networks with contracting solutions. juwi has initiated an investment of more than five billion Euro in the last 17 years for the realization of all these energy projects.

The juwi group has offices in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Great Britain, India, Singapore, South Africa, Chile, the USA/Canada and Costa Rica. In Germany, juwi has subsidiaries and regional offices in several German states.