Deals
UK - First Reserve Corporation acquires Acteon Group Ltd
First Reserve Corporation has acquired a majority stake in Acteon Group Ltd. Acteon is a leading worldwide provider of specialised offshore and subsea services and equipment. The Company is active in the subsea service and construction market and offers...
FRANCE - EPF Partners backs Audisoft Consultants
EPF Partners has taken a 43% stake in Audisoft Consultants, a financial advisory firm which focuses on legal and social risk, IT project management, and process optimisation.
UK - launch of venture-backed Healthcare Brands International
Healthcare Brands International (HBI), a new company helping to turn innovative medical product technology into successful consumer brands, was officially launched today. Backed by ТЃ25m of venture capital from a syndicate of investors including Abingworth,...
LATVIA - Darby Overseas Investments backs dairy
Darby Overseas Investments has made an EUR 8m investment in Rigas Piensaimniekes, a Latvian dairy products producer. The investment was made via Darby Converging Europe Mezzanine Fund (DCEMF) and is its first investment since it closed on 1 November 2005....
ITALY - BS Private Equity acquires 17.3% of IP Cleaning
BS Private Equity has signed a definitive agreement to pay EUR 7.1m for the 17.3% stake currently held by Interpump Group in IP Cleaning (IPC) through the holding company X-Equity SpA. In May 2005 BS Private Equity, Capitalia Sofipa SGR and the company's...
UK - Countrywide and 3i yet to reach agreement
The UK's largest chain of estate agents, Countrywide, which has received an offer of 530p per share from 3i is yet to come to an agreement with the private equity firm.
UK - Arcapita launches £1.62bn bid for Viridian Group Plc
London Stock Exchange-listed Viridian Group Plc has received a take-private offer from Arcapita Bank through its vehicle ElectricInvest. The bid offers 1,336p per share which represents a premium of 23% on the share price before Viridian announced it...
FRANCE - Open-Plug raises $15m from Baytech-led syndicate
Open-Plug has raised a $15m second round of institutional funding from a syndicate of investors led by Munich-based BayTech Venture Capital. Other investors included SGAM AI Private Equity and first round sponsors Auriga, I-Source Gestion, Siparex Ventures...
UK - Hogg Robinson float back on
Permira-backed Hogg Robinson is to be listed after all. The IPO was planned for last week but then pulled at the last minute due to uncertainty in the market.
FRANCE/GERMANY- Astorg sells CIS to Ista International GmbH
CVC Capital Partners' portfolio company Ista International GmbH has acquired 100% of CIS from French GP Astorg Partners and the company's management.
SWITZERLAND - NGN Capital leads EUR 10m series-C for Santhera
Santhera Pharmaceuticals has raised EUR 10m in a series-C financing round, with the option of calling another EUR 5m. The oversubscribed funding round was led by NGN Capital, one of Santhera's largest current shareholders. New investors to the round include...
SPAIN - Baring Private Equity Partners sell stake in Clisa-Indulisa
Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP) and other investors have sold their stakes in cleaning services company Clisa –Indulisa to Danish facility service provider ISS. Although the deal value has not been disclosed, the transaction is believed to be worth...
FINLAND - Sponsor sells sauna manufacturer to ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO Capital has agreed to acquire Saunatec Group Oy from Sponsor Capital Oy. The transaction is expected to complete by the end of October.
DENMARK - CapMan exits RGS 90
CapMan funds have sold their stake in Danish RGS 90 A/S to DSV Miljø A/S. RGS 90 provides various recycling and soil treatment services.
SPAIN - Riva y Garcia backs third financing round in Southwing
Via its vehicles Invercat Exterior FCR and Spinnaker Invest SCR, Riva y Garcia Private Equity has taken the lead in a EUR 5m third financing round in Southwing SL.
ITALY - Fondo Nord Ovest Impresa invests in RGM
The fund Nord Ovest Impresa, managed by SanPaolo Fondi Chiusi SGR, completed its first investment in RGM, a company focused on the design and manufacture of power supplies.
SWEDEN - Nordic Capital and Apax increase offer for Capio
Opica, a company jointly owned by Apax Europe VI, Nordic Capital Fund VI and Apax France, has increased the offer price for Capio to SEK 17bn. The increased offer, from SEK 153 to SEK 167 per share, is unanimously recommended by the board of directors...
UK - Northgate next private equity target
Shares at Northgate Information Solutions, a specialist software and IT services group, have risen over the last few months and are now approaching 100p per share on the back of rumours that the company will be delisted by private equity.
FRANCE - Neocase raises EUR 5.2m from Iris-led syndicate
Customer service software developer Neocase has raised a further EUR 5.2m in its third round of funding. The investment was provided by Iris Capital, Caisse des Depots et Consignations (CDC), and US IT services company Supporter Group.
FRANCE - CIC LBO Partners backs secondary buyout of Snacks International
CIC LBO Partners, Crédit Mutuel's EUR 135m LBO fund, has backed the secondary buyout of Snacks International, alongside IPO, Unigrains and the company's management.
NETHERLANDS - ABN AMRO Capital Life Sciences invests in Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics
ABN AMRO Capital Life Sciences (AAC LS) has announced that it has led a EUR 22m series-A financing of Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics BV (AMT). The syndicate was completed by Advent Venture Partners, Gilde Investment Management and Crédit Agricole Private...
UK - Foresight funds millionaire games creator Zoo Digital
Foresight Venture Partners has led a ТЃ4.2m fundraising for Zoo Digital Group Plc, the AIM listed video technology company. Zoo's technology has powered the rise of interactive DVDs, including a new type of computer game that can be played on any DVD...
UK - Refinancing of Saga paves way for IPO
Saga, the provider of services to older consumers, has been refinanced allowing its backers, Charterhouse, to repay all the company's debt and acquire new debt on more attractive terms. The refinancing is reported to have saved ТЃ32m on interest. It is...
UK - Hastings Infrastructure Fund in £665m secondary buyout of South East Water
Hastings Fund Management, an infrastructure fund owned by the Australian bank, Westpac, has acquired South East Water from Macquarie in a ТЃ665.4m secondary buyout deal. Commentators have suggested that Macquarie's timely exit is evidence of its keenness...