Deals
UK - GIMV, 3i and Atlas exit biotechnology company via sale to AstraZeneca
London-based biotechnology company Arrow Therapeutics has been acquired by AstraZeneca in a $150m deal allowing previous investors GIMV, Atlas Venture, 3i, Alta Partners, ITX, Merlin BioMed Group, NIF, Northern Venture Managers, Scottish Widows Investment...
UK - Private equity to try something new at Sainsbury's?
CVC, KKR and Blackstone are all reported to be pondering a take-private bid for supermarket giant Sainsbury Plc. Shares in the company rose to their highest level for eight years yesterday amid speculation of a take-over.
UK - ECI Partners makes 2.6x from Enviros exit
ECI Partners has sold Enviros, an environmental consultancy business, to Alfred McAlpine Plc for £30m. This represents a money multiple of over 2.6x ECI’s investment. ECI backed the £17m management buyout of Enviros in 2001. Enviros now boasts a blue...
UK - Endless acquires Bernstein Group
Endless has acquired the Bernstein Group Holdings, a UK kitchen manufacturer which has a turnover of £27m. Despite the growth in its core kitchen business, supplying house builders, national distributors and social housing. Administrators were appointed...
PORTUGAL - The Riverside Company completes acquisition of ONI
US private equity firm The Riverside Company has completed the acquisition of Lisbon-based ONITelecom - Infocomunicações SA from utilities player EDP (Energias de Portugal).
ITALY - Aksia Capital III backs industrial player
Fund Aksia Capital III, closed earlier this week, has purchased a majority stake in Robuschi SpA, a manufacturer of industrial blowers and pumps.
SWEDEN - EQT sells HemoCue to Quest Diagnostics
EQT II BV has sold HemoCue, a point-of-care diagnostic testing company, to Quest Diagnostics.
UK - Octopus Investments backs acquisition of specialist history publishers
Octopus Investments has invested £5.5m in NPI Media Group to facilitate the acquisitions of two of its key competitors. Equity investment was provided as part of a combined deal valuation of £15m, which included funding from GMAC Commercial Finance...
UK - Imperial Innovations leads £769,000 investment in biomaterials company
Imperial Innovations Group has invested £469,000 in Advanced Tissue Therapies Ltd (ATT), a biomaterials company that develops tissue engineering products aimed at orthopaedic and maxillofacial markets. The investment in ATT is part of a £769,000 seed...
UK - Terra Firma renewable power portfolio company makes £80m acquisition
Terra Firma portfolio company Infinis Ltd has acquired RE-Gen, a 42MW biogas power generation business for £80m from Summerleaze. Infinis, a generator of renewable power, was part of WRG Holdings, a Terra Firma-backed company which sold its waste disposal...
UK - Dubai International Capital abandons bid for Liverpool FC
Dubai International Capital (DIC) has abandoned its £4,500 per share offer for Liverpool FC & Athletics Ground Plc after the board of the company was unable to recommend the offer to shareholders. It is expected that US sports tycoon George Gillett will...
FINLAND - CapMan buys vehicle logistics business
CapMan has purchased a 60% shareholding in John Nurminen Oy’s Vehicle Logistics Unit. John Nurminen Oy will hold 25% of the shares in the newco.
NORWAY - Venture-backed Algeta applies for listing
Therapeutics company Algeta ASA has applied for listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company raised NOK 185m in series-A financing from a consortium of investors, including HealthCap, Advent Venture Partners, SR One, and existing investors, Selvaag...
ITALY - Fortelus acquires fashion shoemaker from Opera
Investment fund Fortelus Capital has acquired shoemaker Bruno Magli SpA from shareholders Opera and other minority backers.
UK - 3i and Amadeus lead $9.8m series-B funding for Nujira
3i and Amadeus Capital Partners have led a series-B funding round for wireless amplifier technology company Nujira. Cambridge Gateway Fund, Cambridge Capital Group and Cambridge Angels also invested in Cambridge-based company.
FINLAND - Eqvitec divests Teletekno
Eqvitec funds have sold their stake in Teletekno Oy, a Finnish supplier of telecommunication and network products, to Onninen Oy.
UK - Doughty Hanson bidding for Aston Martin
The UBS-run auction for Aston Martin, the luxury car manufacturer currently owned by Ford Motor, is in its second round with reports suggesting the price tag will exceed £450m. Doughty Hanson is said to still be in the running for the asset, along with...
DENMARK - Gilde invests EUR 5m in Symphogen
Gilde Healthcare Partners has invested EUR 5m in biotechnology company Symphogen A/S in a second closing of the series-E round.
ITALY - Investindustrial acquires AEB Group
Buyout firm Investindustrial has wholly acquired specialty chemicals player AEB Group from Pm & Partners and Sociètè Gènèrale in a management buyout.
GERMANY - P21 receives series-C funding round
Target Partners has participated in a series-C financing round of fuel-cell technology company P21 GmbH. Other investors include Conduit Ventures Ltd and Goldman Sachs. The financing will be used to fund the company’s growth and international product...
FRANCE - CDC Capital Investissement backs buyout of Plastiques Gosselin
CDC Capital Investissment (CDC CI) and Participex have backed the buyout of medical equipment maker Plastiques Gosselin. Following the deal, which stemmed from a UBS-run auction aimed at both private equity and industrial buyers, CDC CI took a majority...
GERMANY - HgCapital sells Hirschmann Automation and Control
HgCapital has sold two subsidiaries of the Hirschmann Group, Hirschmann Automation and Control GmbH, to US company Belden for EUR 245m. The transaction is expected to close in mid-March.
UK - Katalyst Ventures sells Site Confidence for £9.1m
Katalyst Ventures has realised its investment in Site Confidence Ltd, a web assurance performance and monitoring company. The asset has been acquired by NCC Group Plc for a maximum consideration of up to £9.1m in cash payable in three stages before June...
DENMARK - Erhvervsinvest buys Aalborg Træindustri
Danish buyout firm Erhvervsinvest has acquired an 83% stake in table tops provider Aalborg Træindustri.