Hannover Finanz eyes options for Schlemmer, including sale-sources

FRANKFURT, Sept 23 (Reuters) - German private equity firm Hannover Finanz is exploring options for its cable equipment maker Schlemmer including a potential sale which may value the company at more than 500 million euros ($556 million), two people familiar with the matter said.

The Germany-focused buyout group has mandated investment bank Baird to prepare a potential auction of the supplier of cable protection systems for automotive and industrial applications.

Hannover Finanz and Schlemmer declined to comment. ($1 = 0.8990 euros) (Reporting by Arno Schuetze and Alexander Huebner; Editing by Christoph Steitz)