Lectra Acquires German Cutting Co.

Lectra has agreed to acquire German cutting systems company Humantec Industriesysteme GmbH and its U.S. subsidiary for an undisclosed sum.

Humantec, which has its U.S. offices in Huntersville, N.C., specializes in leather cutting systems for the textile, home furnishings and automotive industries. Its clients include BMW, Porsche, Boeing and Optitex. The company’s Lasernest system became the world’s first automatic leather cutter for full leather hides when it debuted in 1994.

The acquisition, once approved by shareholders, is expected to complement Lectra’s own cutting business.

Humantec is strong in North America and Europe and has recently expanded in Asia. The company posted sales of 9 million euros and net earnings close to the break-even point in 2003.

The transaction is expected to close within the next 60 days. —Robert McAllister