The federal government has banned the takeover of a German ventilator manufacturer by a Chinese company.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs stopped the purchase of the small Heyer Medical AG in Bad Ems, Rhineland-Palatinate, by the Aeonmed Group in Beijing, according to a proposal for the cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
This step was also taken with a view to the corona pandemic for reasons of public order and security in the Federal Republic, the submission said.
In the event of a takeover, these “protected assets” would otherwise have faced “serious dangers”.
For the time being, there was no comment from the almost 140-year-old Heyer Medical AG.
According to the Federal Ministry of Economics, the company with around 35 employees and a turnover of 42 million euros (2020) went bankrupt in 2018.
Aeonmed, with revenues of around 100 million euros (2021) and around 1200 employees, began taking over the traditional company in Bad Ems some time ago.
Aeonmed appears in Germany with aggressive prices and benefits from "support measures by the Chinese state".
Other media had previously reported on the takeover freeze.