One Equity Partners to acquire German safety leader BARTEC—Can it become a global hazardous area powerhouse?

One Equity Partners has signed a definitive agreement to acquire BARTEC, a German-based global leader in explosion protection and hazardous area safety technology, marking a significant private equity deal in the industrial safety sector. The transaction, announced in New York, sees the U.S. private equity firm purchase BARTEC from a consortium led by Bridgepoint Credit and Alcentra, which had controlled the business since 2019. Although financial details of the deal were not disclosed, the acquisition underscores how private capital is increasingly targeting niche industrial technology firms positioned at the intersection of energy, safety, and sustainability. The transaction remains subject to customary contractual and legal conditions, and closing will occur following completion of those requirements.

Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Bad Mergentheim, Germany, BARTEC is widely recognized as one of the leading manufacturers of mission-critical safety equipment, personnel protection technologies, and explosion-proof systems used in hazardous industries. With more than 1,000 employees and operations spanning five business units, the company serves customers in hydrocarbon processing, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrogen, lithium-ion battery production, and renewable energy.

Marc Lindhorst, a partner at One Equity Partners, described BARTEC as a respected global platform in the safety and security solutions space, highlighting the firm’s intention to use the acquisition as a launchpad for mergers and acquisitions-led growth in North America. According to him, the U.S. market in particular offers “significant opportunity to execute transformational combinations” that could extend BARTEC’s reach beyond its European base.

How does BARTEC’s market position in hazardous area safety technology create acquisition appeal for private equity?

BARTEC’s appeal lies in its long-standing leadership within the highly specialized field of explosion protection technology—a sector where regulatory compliance, safety certifications, and technical expertise form significant barriers to entry. Established during Germany’s industrial expansion of the 1970s, BARTEC initially built its reputation around engineering ruggedized equipment designed to withstand explosive environments in oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities.

Over the decades, the German engineering group diversified its product portfolio into areas such as intrinsically safe mobile devices, customized safety solutions for chemical plants, and automation systems for industrial operations. In recent years, BARTEC has further expanded into pharmaceuticals, hydrogen energy, and the fast-growing lithium-ion sector, positioning itself at the center of new energy and clean technology supply chains where workplace safety is paramount.

For One Equity Partners, acquiring a company with such multi-industry exposure provides both resilience and growth optionality. Demand for explosion protection technology is structurally supported by increasingly rigorous international safety regulations, while new growth drivers—such as hydrogen fuel adoption and electric battery manufacturing—open fresh revenue streams. Institutional investors see this blend of stable compliance-driven demand and new-market upside as attractive in the current private equity climate.

Why is One Equity Partners betting on North America for BARTEC’s expansion and M&A-driven growth?

One Equity Partners has made clear that it views North America as the key strategic frontier for BARTEC’s expansion. The U.S. and Canadian markets present both scale and fragmentation opportunities. Industrial safety technology remains a diversified field, with numerous regional suppliers serving oil refineries, power plants, pharmaceutical hubs, and chemical facilities.

Analysts note that a private equity-backed player with BARTEC’s brand credibility and product range could drive industry consolidation, particularly in explosion-proof electrical equipment, hazardous area lighting, and safety automation systems. Such a strategy would mirror OEP’s broader investment playbook of building “platform companies” through bolt-on acquisitions.

Lindhorst emphasized that BARTEC’s management team is well positioned to pursue these moves, suggesting OEP intends to blend organic growth with targeted takeovers to increase North American market share. Industry observers point to the Inflation Reduction Act in the U.S. and the accelerating buildout of hydrogen and clean-tech infrastructure as additional tailwinds for explosion protection equipment demand.

What does BARTEC’s management envision for its next phase of growth with One Equity Partners?

BARTEC’s chief executive officer, Dr. Martin U. Schefter, framed the acquisition as an opportunity to accelerate the company’s global growth momentum. In recent years, Schefter has overseen a transformation program aimed at strengthening BARTEC’s operational efficiency, sustainability profile, and digital product offerings. He noted that One Equity Partners brings both capital support and industrial experience, citing OEP’s track record in scaling industrial services and safety technology companies.

Schefter outlined BARTEC’s strategic priorities post-acquisition as expanding digital safety solutions, increasing penetration in hydrogen and lithium-ion markets, and capturing more pharmaceutical safety contracts. He added that BARTEC aims to leverage OEP’s resources to win additional market share in North America and Asia, regions where the company has historically been underrepresented.

For BARTEC’s workforce of more than 1,000 employees, the deal is expected to bring continuity rather than disruption, as OEP typically retains core management to execute growth strategies. The German industrial safety group also intends to continue expanding training programs and certifications to maintain its global reputation for compliance with strict hazardous area standards such as ATEX and IECEx.

What role do evolving safety standards and industrial digitization play in BARTEC’s growth outlook?

Industrial analysts highlight that global demand for hazardous area safety solutions is being reshaped by two structural forces: stricter safety regulations and digitization. Governments across Europe, North America, and Asia have increased regulatory oversight of industrial plants following high-profile accidents and environmental disasters. This has placed a premium on explosion-proof systems, automated monitoring devices, and remote operational controls—all areas where BARTEC has invested.

At the same time, the broader wave of industrial digitization, including the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and smart factory systems, is changing customer expectations. Hazardous area devices are increasingly required to be integrated into real-time monitoring networks, predictive maintenance systems, and data-driven safety management platforms. BARTEC has already begun offering digital-ready solutions, and institutional investors believe this positions the company well for the next cycle of industrial modernization.

How do exiting investors view the transition, and what does it signal about private equity dynamics in Europe?

Bridgepoint Credit, which led the consortium that acquired BARTEC in 2019, described the sale to One Equity Partners as the logical next step in BARTEC’s evolution. Partner Dominik Mattmann said Bridgepoint and the advisory board, chaired by Ulf Berg, had worked closely with management to create a “resilient and growth-oriented business,” and expressed confidence that OEP was the right successor.

For private equity watchers, the transaction underscores how European mid-market firms are recycling capital out of industrial assets to make room for new entrants targeting sector consolidation plays. Bridgepoint continues to manage more than $86 billion in assets globally, while OEP’s more concentrated focus on industrial, healthcare, and technology sectors gives it the mandate to double down on safety technology.

What does the acquisition mean for investors, and how is sentiment shaping up around the safety technology sector?

As BARTEC is privately held, there is no direct stock market reaction to track. However, institutional sentiment in adjacent public markets provides clues. Listed peers in industrial safety and hazardous area equipment—such as R. Stahl AG in Germany—have seen steady valuations supported by compliance-driven demand. Investors view the sector as defensive, with long-duration contracts tied to energy, chemicals, and pharma industries.

For private equity limited partners, the OEP–BARTEC deal signals confidence that specialized industrial technology can deliver both steady cash flows and upside from new energy growth markets. Analysts expect that if OEP executes a successful North American expansion strategy, it may explore a future IPO or secondary sale to a larger strategic buyer in the industrial technology space.

What is the long-term outlook for BARTEC under private equity ownership, and where could growth come from next?

Looking ahead, industry experts believe BARTEC’s next phase will hinge on two execution priorities: integrating digital safety technologies into its product suite and capturing share in hydrogen and lithium-ion value chains. The global hydrogen economy is forecast to expand rapidly through 2030, with new facilities requiring explosion-proof systems across storage, transport, and processing. Similarly, the proliferation of gigafactories for electric vehicle batteries creates demand for safety technologies to manage fire and explosion risks.

If BARTEC successfully leverages OEP’s capital and M&A strategy to enter these growth segments, it could evolve from a European-focused industrial player into a global hazardous area safety platform with significant exposure to the clean energy transition. Institutional sentiment suggests cautious optimism, with recognition that execution risks—such as integration challenges in North America or delays in hydrogen project rollouts—remain.