Buyouts
UK - LDC buys telecoms tester in £30m deal
LDC has backed the management buyout of Microlease, the European market leader for the rental and leasing of electronic test and measurement equipment. Microlease provides a wide range of general purpose test equipment such as oscilloscopes and data acquisition...
UK - Thames Water opens its books for Terra Firma
The first round of bidding for Thames Water is expected shortly, after the Independent on Sunday reported RWE, the owner of Thames Water, will open the books of the company this week. It is understood that Terra Firma are interested in the deal and face...
FRANCE - Direct Energie receives additional funding
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE), CITA Gestion and NBGI Ventures have renewed their commitments in the third round financing of Direct Energie. As a result of the transaction, industrial Group Louis Dreyfus takes a two third equity stake, financial...
UK - Matrix backs £20m helicopter MBO
Matrix Private Equity Partners has backed the £20m secondary mangement buyout of British International Limited (BIL). Jonathan Gregory of Matrix led a syndicate comprising Finance Cornwall and Chrysalis VCT that has invested £5m of equity in the helicopter...
SPAIN - Mercapital acquires Cinebox
The cinema chain Abaco, backed by the private equity firm Mercapital, has agreed to buy Cinebox from the entertainement group GMR in a deal reportedly worth around EUR 60m.
Egypt - Buyout of Amoun pharmaceuticals valued at $451m
The largest private equity transaction outside of the privatisation process is due to take place in Egypt. According to the Financial Times today, a US consortium including Citigroup and Capital International, will take a 93% stake in Amoun, a pharmaceutical...
NETHERLANDS - Apax has Endemol in its sights
The Times today reports that Apax Partners is looking into making a bid for Endemol, the producer of Big Brother. The company is currently listed on Euronext, Amsterdam and bids are expected to be in the region of £1bn.
GERMANY - Triton makes two buyouts in two weeks
Triton Advisers has acquired Basler, a producer of women's clothing for age 40 and over. The deal follows the announcement last week that Triton had acquired Dematic from Siemens for an undisclosed sum.
CROATIA - Mid Europa makes first Croatian investment
Central and Eastern European investor Mid Europa Partners has made its first investment in Croatia with its acquisition of Heidelberger Calcium Aluminates (HCA).
SWEDEN - Industri Kapital to acquire ELFA AB for approximately €130m
Stockholm based ELFA AB, which has been owned and managed by the Jensen Family since 1945, will now be acquired by Industri Kapital following the signing of an agreement.
UK - Exponent Private Equity buys Trainline in £163m deal
Exponent Private Equity has announced the acquisition of Trainline, the leading online and call-centre rail retailer and information provider in the UK for £163m.
UK - Bank of Scotland Corporate backs MBO of VUE
Vue Entertainment, the UK's leading developer and operator of state-of-the-art cinemas, was yesterday sold by its controlling private equity shareholders to a management buyout team in partnership with Bank of Scotland Corporate, through its Integrated...
ITALY - Clessidra acquires Fratelli Elia
The fund Clessidra has recently purchased Fratelli Elia from the brothers Maurizio and Raffaele Elia for an undisclosed sum, according to the news agency Radiocor.
FRANCE - Acto acquires warehouse storage company
Acto has backed the LBO of Locabri, for an undisclosed sum.
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 UK’s 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...
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 £2.7bn for Associated British Ports (ABP), outbidding the Goldman Sachs consortium's £2.53bn 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.