Steadfast, Kempen back Wilvo MBO

Former director and major shareholder Louis Vosters, the son of one of the two founders of the business, will retain a stake in the company.

The private equity firms will help Wilvo to grow both organically and via strategic acquisitions.

Steadfast is currently investing via its Steadfast Capital Fund IV, which closed on €297m in 2019. The GP typically invests in companies with an enterprise value of €20-150m, focusing on companies it can expand through buy-and-build strategies using leverage of 3-4x EBITDA. The GP has invested only once before in the Netherlands, backing meat processing systems company MPS between 2004-2010, according to Unquote Data.  

Kempen used its Kempen European Private Equity Fund to complete the investment, which held an interim close on €120m in June this year. 

Company
Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Bergeijk, Wilvo is a specialist in the processing of thin sheet steel and light construction work. It manufactures both simple and complex series of CNC punched, lasered, bent or welded products, as well as assembled products. Wilvo employs 230 people and has an annual turnover of approximately €50m.

People
Kempen – Sven Smeets (co-head private markets); Bram Bikker (director).
Wilvo Group – Rob Lemmens (commercial director).

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• Topics
• Buyouts
• Benelux
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• Netherlands
• Steadfast Capital GmbH