Buyouts
NORWAY - Altor acquires 70% of Scandpower
Altor has acquired 70% of Scandpower Petroleum Technology Holding ASA (SPT). The current owners, led by HitecVision Private Equity, will have a 30% ownership in the company on a pro-rata basis.
UK - LDC backs the Apollo Group
LDC has backed the management buyout of Apollo Group Holdings, one of the UKтs fastest growing providers of property refurbishment services to local authorities, for an undisclosed sum. The investment has enabled the Waltham Abbey-based firm to buy out...
FINLAND - Arcapita buys Paroc from BA Capital Partners
BA Capital Partners Europe has agreed to sell Paroc Holding Sverige AB and its subsidiaries to affiliates of Arcapita Limited. The transaction value is approximately EUR 620m and closing is expected to occur in August 2006.
SPAIN - Gala Capital buys 58% of Grupo Page
According to reports in the Spanish press, the private equity firm Gala Capital has purchased 58% of the technology group Page for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - Industri Kapital acquires French laboratories in tertiary buyout
Industri Kapital has acquired a majority stake of Group Cerba from Astorg Partners for about EUR 160m. To secure this buyout, the European private equity firm defeated APAX Partners, 3i and PPM Capital in a competitive auction. The deal should be completed...
UK - Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone court iSoft
The struggling healthcare software company, iSoft, is thought to be latest company to be weighed up by private equity with Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone all reported to be interested according to the Observer.
UK - Further activity in caravan park industry as LGV looks to buy South Lakeland
South Lakeland Caravans is reported by the Sunday Times to be in advanced talks with Legal & General Ventures (LGV).
GERMANY - Triton acquires stake in Dematic
Triton, together with the company's management, has taken over shares previously held by Siemens AG in Dematic GmbH & Co. KG. The parties have agreed not to disclose details of the transaction. Dematic employs around 4,000 people and achieved revenues...
UK - Macquarie-3i consortium to outbid Goldman Sachs for ABP
It is reported in today's Times that the consortium led by Macquarie is likely to offer ТЃ2.7bn for Associated British Ports (ABP), outbidding the Goldman Sachs consortium's ТЃ2.53bn offer.
UK - Apax assess All3Media
All3Media, the television production company formed by three former ITV executives, is being assessed by Greg Dyke who is a consultant to Apax, according to The Times today.
UK - Bidding war pushes ABP shares to 850p
The Financial Times reports today that Goldman Sachs has raised its offer to Associated British Ports from 810p to 840p per share as competition between its consortium and that led by Macquarie intensifies.
SWEDEN - Nordic Capital buys ICA Meny
A subsidiary to Nordic Capital fund VI has signed an agreement to acquire ICA Meny from ICA AB for an undisclosed sum. The completion of the transaction is subject to approval by relevant authorities.
CROATIA - Mid Europa secures calcium aluminate business
Mid Europa Partners has acquired Heidelberger Calcium Aluminates from HeidelbergCement Group. The transaction includes Heidelberg Cement's 92.4% stake in Istra Cemment d.o.o., a production facility based in Croatia, as well as two trading entities in...
NETHERLANDS - Rabo Participaties has acquired Luzac College
Rabo Participaties and management have acquired Luzac Holding BV, a parent company of among others Luzac College and InterCollege, from USG People. No financial details have been disclosed, but analysts estimate the value to be around EUR 30m.
GERMANY - Süd and DZ go in on ball bearings secondary
Süd Private Equity and DZ Equity Partner have, together with the management, acquired myonic Group, Leutkirch. The vendor, Capvis Equity Partners acquired a majority stake in the company in 1999.
UK - Macquarie-3i consortium tries to thwart Goldman ABP deal
The board of Associated British Ports yesterday approved the Goldman Sachs consortium's bid offering 810p per share. Within hours Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, acting on behalf of the Macquarie-3i consortium purchased shares in the market at a price...
UK - MFI auction reaches second round
The second-round auction of MFI Retail will begin on Friday according to the Financial Times. Further details of the sale of the struggling furniture business have now emerged.
NORWAY - HitecVision closes Technor acquisition
HitecVision Private Equity has via holding company CET Holding AS closed the acquisition of 94.6% of the shares of Technor ASA. Technor is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and CET Holding has announced its intention of buying the remaining shares and...
DENMARK - Nordic Capital acquires Dangaard Telecom
A subsidiary of Nordic Capital fund VI has signed an agreement to acquire Dangaard Telecom from BHS Holding, debitel, Fleggaard Holding and Dangaard Telecom Partners. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
UK - Rothschild leads bid for MFI Retail
The Times today reports that Rothschild has joined forces with Merchant Equity Partners to launch a bid for the retail division of MFI. The ailing retail arm of MFI Furniture recorded losses of ТЃ85m in 2005 and it is thought that the vendor will have...
SPAIN - Vista Capital acquires Play by Play for EUR 4.8m
Vista Capital, in a move to expand its toy manufacturer portfolio company Famosa, has purchased 100% of Play by Play from Catalana d’Iniciatives and its other investors for EUR 4.8m.
UK - Permira and Barclays Capital team up in bid for retirement home builder
McCarthy & Stone, the builder of retirement housing, is the subject of competing bids from two consortiums who both see promising returns from this sector thanks to the ageing population, despite the fact that McCarthy has struggled recently.
UK - Misys the latest take-private target
The Sunday Times and the Financial Times have both reported that the healthcare and financial-services software firm Misys is being circled by private equity firms following its announcement on Friday that it is the subject of a possible management buyout....
UK - Hedge funds competing against private equity for Photo-Me
Photo-Me has received interest from Bain Capital and Warburg Pincus over the last week.