Leybold sold to Buhler

German vacuum thin film technology company Leybold Optics has been 100 per cent acquired from EQT III by The Buhler Technology Group in a transaction that must be approved by the competent antitrust authorities.

Leybold, a global supplier of production systems for vacuum deposition, will join Buhler's Advanced Materials division as a new business unit and retain its existing management. Its optics unit supplies leading manufacturers in the optics, automotive, electronics and packaging industries.

Leybold employs 600 people at its Alzenau, Germany headquarters and at other sites in Germany, the US and China.

In 2011 it generated sales of over E200m and operates profitably.