Wanzl acquires majority stake in WSL

On 1 August 2026, the Wanzl Group acquired a majority stake in its previous joint venture, WSL. Upon completion of the transaction, Wanzl increased its share in the group from 30 to 51 percent. Wanzl is thus extending its long-standing cooperation with WSL and strengthening its position as an international provider of retail solutions – particularly in the strategically important refrigeration segment.

Wanzl and WSL have been working together successfully as part of a joint venture since 2019. During this time, WSL has evolved to become an established supplier of refrigeration appliances, refrigeration technology and complementary shopfitting solutions. The group has fostered long-standing customer relationships with leading retail companies in Europe and the Middle East and employs around 100 employees at several locations in Southeast Europe. With the majority takeover, Wanzl is laying the foundation for making even more effective use of their shared potential for growth. The combination of refrigeration and shopfitting solutions opens up additional opportunities for integrated store concepts and a holistic customer approach, particularly in the food retail sector. The refrigeration segment is becoming an increasingly important aspect of retail. Growing product ranges in the fresh and convenience sector, increasing requirements for energy efficiency and sustainability as well as regulatory requirements are contributing to a growing need for modern, reliable and serviceable cooling solutions. This makes refrigeration a central part of modern store concepts – one that has a direct impact on product quality, operational safety, energy consumption and customer experience.

“With the majority takeover of WSL, we are taking an important strategic step towards advancing our international business. In recent years, WSL has proven to be a strong and reliable partner. Through closer integration, we are consolidating our strengths and creating the conditions needed to offer our customers in the food retail sector even more comprehensive solutions from a single source in the future. At the same time, this investment underlines our long-term commitment to the refrigeration segment and the growth opportunities we have identified together,”says Peter Allaart, CEO of the Wanzl Group.

“As a shareholder, we have accompanied WSL’s development over many years and worked with Wanzl to build a successful partnership. The majority takeover by Wanzl is the next logical step in our journey together. We firmly believe that WSL will benefit from stronger integration into the international Wanzl Group, while at the same time retaining its entrepreneurial strength, capacity for innovation and customer proximity. This transaction creates an excellent basis for further sustainable growth and the successful advancement of the company,” says Tomaž Smeh, shareholder and member of the Supervisory Board of the WSL Group.

WSL brings with it a wide range of solutions, from refrigeration appliances and refrigeration technology to shopfitting and logistics as well as installation and services. When combined with Wanzl’s international sales and customer network, this will generate additional opportunities to provide customers with even more comprehensive support in the future, tap into new markets and drive growth together. Even after the majority takeover, WSL will remain an entrepreneurial company with a high level of customer proximity, market knowledge and agility. At the same time, the group will benefit from closer integration into the international Wanzl network. With the acquisition of a majority stake in WSL, Wanzl is underlining its long-term commitment to the retail environment and taking another step towards the targeted enhancement of its international portfolio.