On February 10, 2025, Metso announced the acquisition of the screening business, operations, and key assets of the privately owned Selm (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. By combining the new offering with its existing expertise, Metso will strengthen its services for mining and aggregates customers in China.
Selm's offering consists of mining and aggregate screens and technologies including micro-sized screening solutions. It has around 180 employees and its operations are located in Shenyang, Northeast China.
The acquisition was completed in July 2025, after a series of reorganisation and restructuring, and a rebranding of the business, which is now SAIMU under the Metso group umbrella.
Seawood Partners acted as the exclusive advisor to the seller in the entire process.
Project Background
SELM is a private enterprise with an innovative founding team that consistently broke global screening equipment size records for consecutive years. The company demonstrated exceptional breakthrough capabilities in the mining processing industry but faced growth bottlenecks requiring strategic alternatives.
Metso, headquartered in Finland with global operations, maintains comprehensive supply chain coverage across mineral extraction, screening, and smelting industries worldwide. The company actively sought acquisition targets to strengthen its product matrix and technological capabilities.
Seawood Partners' exceptional service along the entire process: Strategic Challenges & Advisory Solutions
1. Financial Infrastructure Enhancement
Addressed initial challenges from weak financial information management and corporate governance through comprehensive business restructuring, establishing institutional-grade reporting systems
2. Strategic Buyer Identification
Precisely identified potential buyers and conducted preliminary discussions, gradually releasing information to maintain buyer interest while managing competitive tension
3. Exclusive Negotiation Process
Quickly eliminated non-serious buyers and entered exclusivity in early 2024, streamlining the transaction timeline and focusing resources on deal closure
4. Accelerated Due Diligence
Provided a highly transparent due diligence process with exceptional cooperation, enabling buy-side advisors to complete work at an accelerated pace while building trust
5. Cross-Cultural Bridge Building
Facilitated communication between parties to address cultural differences and geopolitical risk concerns, ensuring alignment on strategic vision and operational philosophy
6. Premium Value Realization
Secured significant a premium above the seller's original expectation while reducing performance guarantee pressures from representations and warranties through strategic negotiation and deal structuring
Mr. Huifeng Tang, founder of Selm, says:
“We have been developing our screening business over the past years, building expertise and a strong reputation among customers. Moving forward, the screen offering will bring benefits for customers as part of Metso, and our employees will get a valued new employer.
Along this entire journey, Sean has always been there for us, sorting out answers to so many conundrums that I have never faced in my career. Sean is really the dealmaker and we couldn't have completed this transaction without Seawood Partners.”
Mr. Sean Miao, Managing Partner of Seawood Partners, says:
"Seawood team is grateful to witness this transaction being completed, and we are blessed by many stakeholders in this process from both the sellside and buyside groups. The most cherished experience is - never skip any details and keep all the good momentum until the finishing line."
For more information, please contact: sean.x.miao@seawoodpartners.com