In brief: In December 2019, Preservation Holding AS ("Presserv"), majority owned by Norvestor VII, L.P., and MONTI-Werkzeuge GmbH, maker of the Bristle Blaster® and MBX®, joined forces. Both companies continue to operate under their own well-known brand names, offering complementary preservation and corrosion protection solutions.
This post records the 2019 announcement that brought MONTI-Werkzeuge GmbH together with Preservation Holding AS. Below: what was announced, who the two companies are, what MONTI's technology does, and where to read more about the company's development since.
What was announced?
Preservation Holding AS ("Presserv"), majority owned by Norvestor VII, L.P. ("Norvestor"), and MONTI-Werkzeuge GmbH ("MONTI") have joined forces. Presserv and MONTI will continue their operations under their well-known brand names with their complementary preservation solutions.
A transaction notice published by BELGRANO & CO, which advised MONTI's shareholders on the sale, dates the transaction to 19 December 2019 and describes it as an acquisition of MONTI by Norvestor.
Who are Presserv and MONTI?
Presserv is a specialist in preservation and corrosion protection and, at the time of the announcement, a portfolio company of Norvestor, a Nordic private equity firm.
MONTI-Werkzeuge GmbH was founded in Bonn in 1987 by Werner Montabaur and has been based in Hennef, Germany, since 2012. At the time of the announcement it employed 35 people at its headquarters and had US branch offices in Houston and Manassas. The company's story, from the MBX® series in automotive to the patented Bristle Blaster®, is told on our MONTI history page. Today the business operates as MontiPower®.
What does MONTI's technology do?
MONTI is known for two rotary bristle technologies:
- Bristle Blaster®: a hand-held tool in which hardened wire bristle tips, held back by an accelerator bar, strike the corroded steel surface and rebound. It removes corrosion, coatings and mill scale and creates an anchor profile in a single pass, without loose abrasive. In documented tests it gives cleanliness comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa 2½ / SSPC-SP 10 and an anchor profile of 65–85 µm Rz on standard steel; results vary with steel grade, rust grade, belt and technique.
- MBX®: flexible-wire belts for removing rust, paint, underseal, sealants and adhesives from car body panels and other thin substrates, without heat or warping.
The Bristle Blaster® Pneumatic is fully air-driven and has been ATEX-evaluated for zone 1 explosive gas and zone 21 explosive dust, which makes it relevant for the oil, gas and offshore assets where preservation work is carried out.
Why does it matter for preservation work?
Preservation and corrosion protection depend on surface preparation: a coating only performs as well as the surface it is applied to. Grit-free, hand-held preparation is useful where open abrasive blasting is impractical, such as spot repairs, weld seams, live plant and offshore structures. That is the context in which the two companies described their offerings as complementary. For practical background, see our pages on marine and offshore surface preparation and grit-free surface preparation.
Where can I read more?
- The follow-up press release Preservation Holding AS supports the global growth of MONTI-Werkzeuge GmbH (2020)
- All company news on our press releases page
Update: Norvestor later sold MontiPower to the Benelux investment firm Bencis, as reported by Lincoln International in 2025.
Sources
- BELGRANO & CO, Norvestor Equity AS acquired MONTI-Werkzeuge GmbH (transaction notice, 19 December 2019). belgrano-co.com
- Lincoln International, Norvestor has sold MontiPower to Bencis (2025). lincolninternational.com
- MontiPower, Bristle Blaster® and MBX® product specifications and ATEX evaluation summary.
