4 August 2015

German re/insurers' units buy into motorway firm

Allianz Capital Partners and MEAG, Munich Re group's asset manager, have joined Borealis Infrastructure Management of Canada and Infinity Investments, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), in a consortium acquiring 100% of Autobahn Tank & Rast Holding.

Terra Firma Capital Partners and a fund managed by Deutsche Asset and Wealth Management sold Tank & Rast, Germany's largest operator of motorway service areas, for an undisclosed sum.

"As market leader in Germany, Tank & Rast is an attractive investment for all of us due to its long-term and stable investment characteristics and its stable regulatory and contractual environment," said a representative of the consortium.

Christian Fingerle, chief investment officer responsible for infrastructure investments at Allianz Capital Partners, said, "The acquisition is an important step in our ambition to substantially grow our portfolio of high-quality infrastructure companies and to diversify across sectors and countries."

MEAG managing director Holger Kerzel added, "By investing in this German core infrastructure asset, we are further diversifying our portfolio with manageable risks and attractive returns. With their calculable income, infrastructure investments are ideal for covering long-term payment obligations in Munich Re group's core business of insurance."

Allianz Capital Partners is the Allianz group's in-house investment manager for alternative investments.

MEAG manages assets for Munich Re and Ergo, its insurance subsidiary.

The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2015.