17 Oct 2024

Oranienburg, 17 October 2024 - With effect from 10 September 2024, the technology and plastics specialist ORAFOL is acquiring a stake in the Belgian speciality film manufacturer Group Michiels Advanced Materials (Group M.A.M.) with the aim of taking over 100% of the company in the coming years.

• ORAFOL acquires stake in Belgian specialty film manufacturer Group M.A.M., with plans for full ownership
• ORAFOL is thus integrating a new technology into the company and significantly expanding its product portfolio in the field of climate protection solutions.
• From 2025, special films that minimise the heat input on glass surfaces will be produced in the new Hall 10 at ORAFOL‘s headquarters.
• In a first step, ORAFOL will offer these new solutions for the building and automotive sectors, and in a second step for the greenhouse sector.
• The production environment and capacity in the new ORAFOL Hall 10 is the basis for being a global leader in the rapidly growing market for solar protection films.

ORAFOL stands for premium quality with excellent high-tech solutions in polymer production and finishing, personalised service and reliability. As a leading company in the development and manufacture of self-adhesive graphic films, reflective materials, adhesive tape systems and advanced polymer films, ORAFOL has traditionally focussed strongly on the acquisition of technologies in order to sustainably expand the depth of added value within the ORAFOL Group. Like every acquisition since ORAFOL was founded, this one is also aimed at being the technological leader in a market.

New technology at ORAFOL
The technology focus of Group M.A.M. is on the sputtering of metals. This technology can be used to equip films with spectrally selective properties. Films with these properties have been developed for building and automotive glazing as well as for greenhouses in order to minimise the heat input indoors. In buildings or vehicles equipped with these solar control films, less energy is required for cooling by air conditioning systems. Energy requirements, and therefore also CO₂ emissions, can be significantly reduced with these films.

Luc Michiels, CEO of Group M.A.M.: “The unique combined product properties for solar heat reduction in summer and thermal insulation in winter make our speciality films high-performance solutions for energy management and our company a close partner for architects, contractors and building owners. Together with ORAFOL, we are creating the opportunity to offer our highly developed technology to a global market.“

ORAFOL is integrating this future technology into the company by acquiring a stake in the specialised film manufacturer Group M.A.M. Following the acquisition of the American start-up company NUPRO LLC in 2021, this investment marks another milestone for ORAFOL as a developer and manufacturer of innovative protective films.

Dr Holger Loclair, Chairman & CEO ORAFOL Group: “With this acquisition, we are laying the next cornerstone for the sustainable development of ORAFOL in Oranienburg and worldwide. At the same time, this step underlines our claim as a European high-tech company to be a leader in the future markets of our industry. Against the backdrop of climate change, the consistent use of highly developed spectrally selective films will contribute to efficiently reducing CO₂ emissions in various sectors.“

New production complex in Hall 10 enables production of premium solar protection films in Oranienburg
With the construction of Hall 10 at its headquarters in Oranienburg, the company has laid the foundations for processing these special films from Q2/2025. The aim is to achieve the widest possible coating widths, maximum precision of the layers and very high requirements for room cleanliness during production. As a first step,
ORAFOL is offering the new solar protection films for buildings and vehicles, both for indoor and outdoor use. In a second step, the portfolio will be expanded to include solutions for greenhouses. Depending on the customer‘s requirements, the films are either barely visible or dark tinted.

Trusting partnership between two family businesses
Like ORAFOL, Group Michiels Advanced Materials is a family business that traditionally places a strong focus on technology and quality. Above and beyond the common business objective, this connects the partners and is the basis for the trusting cooperation that is now starting.