Deals
UK - Foresight invests in eBay consignment business Auctioning4u
Foresight Venture Partners has injected £2.1m (as part of a pre-IPO round totalling £2.25m) into Auctioning4u, the top consignment agent for eBay in the UK.
FRANCE - Virtual reality software developer gets EUR 4.5m extra backing
Previous investors Partech International and I-Source Gestion have been joined by Elaia Partners in the second round of financing for Total Immersion, a French software developer, specialised in virtual reality applications.
FRANCE - Advent International exits from BCS
Advent International has signed an agreement to sell its stake in the bakery and deli specialist BCS.
GERMANY - Caledonia leads MBO of Tractebel Gas Engineering GmbH
Caledonia Investments Plc has committed to provide Euro 18m to back the MBO of Tractebel Gas Engineering GmbH (TGE) from Tractebel Engineering, a member of the Suez Group.
SWEDEN - Provider invests in digital music company
Swedish venture capital firm, Provider Venture Partners has invested SEK 30m in a leader of the digital music market, Musicbrigade. In a fast growing market, Musicbrigade has expanded its offering to the downloading of music, video and audio via the web...
UK - Partial exit for Candover from Acertec
Acertec starts trading on AIM today allowing Candover to realise part of its investment in the company. Candover participated in the 1999 take-private of the Solihull-based engineering company, investing £60m for a 95% stake. Following the listing it...
UK - RWE wants Thames Water to float
RWE, the German power group, would rather make its Thames Water subsidiary the subject of an IPO than sell it, according to today's FT. Long-term financial investors are still being considered but a flotation would be preferred according to Klaus Sturany,...
UK - Close Brothers Private Equity acquires water chemical business
Close Brothers Private Equity (CBPE) today announces the acquisition of the industrial water chemicals business from US listed Chemtura Corporation for an acquisition price of $85m. The business will be renamed BWA Water Additives(BWA). BWA is a global...
FINLAND - Finnish Industry Investment invests EUR 1.5m in Vulcan
Finnish Industry Investment Ltd has invested EUR 1.5m in Vulcan Resources Ltd, a mining company listed on the Australian stock exchange but with a focus on eastern and northern Finland.
SWEDEN - Indap increases offer price for Gambro to SEK 113.70
Indap AB has announced it will be increasing the offer price on Gambro’s series A and B shares from SEK 109.7 to SEK 113.7 per share as well as extending the acceptance period until 31st May. This will give shareholders who have not already tendered...
FRANCE - LCD developer Nemoptic raises EUR 9m
Nemoptichas received a EUR 9m round of funding from previous investors Ventech Capital, CDC Entreprises Innovation, Crédit Agricole Private Equity, SGAM AI, Auriga Partners, Alven Capital Gestion and Financière de Brienne, and new investor, LC Capital.
GERMANY - Coca-Cola acquires Blackstone-backed Apollonaris
It was announced last week that Coca-Cola had bought Apollonaris, a German mineral water bottler, from its private equity backers. The Blackstone Group and Lion Capital bought Apollinaris earlier this year as part of the EUR 1.85bn deal for Cadbury Schweppes’...
UK - ISIS back MBO of the Panacea Group
ISIS Equity Partners, in partnership with the Panacea management team, has successfully completed a management buyout of the Panacea Group. ISIS invested £6.187m as part of the transaction alongside senior debt and working capital facilities from Lloyds...
UK - Matrix backs MBO of Blaze Neon Ltd
Matrix Private Equity Partners has financed a £5m secondary management buyout of Blaze Neon Limited (Blaze) alongside management and senior debt from Lloyds TSB. Blaze is a leading player in the design, manufacture and installation of shop front and...
AUSTRIA - Zumtobel lists 95% of stock on Wiener Boerse
Vorarlberg-based lighting producer Zumtobel has listed on the Viennese Stock Exchange at a price of EUR 20.49 per share.
UK - Enterprise Ventures backs MBO of Acorn Foundation Engineering Ltd
Enterprise Ventures, the North-West based venture capital company, has completed an investment in the management buyout of Acorn Foundation Engineering Ltd (AFE). Andrew Hall, the current managing director of the company received backing from Enterprise...
ROMANIA - AIG Capital Partners funds security provider
According to reports, AIG Capital Partners, the emerging markets private equity division of American International Group, has acquired a 30% stake in UTI Group. The company is a provider of security systems and services with headquarters in Romania. The...
GERMANY - Nordsee sees return of private equity cash
Jersey-based ACP Capital has acquired an approximate 12% stake in Kamps Food Retail Investments, a holding company owned by German food and drink entrepreneur Heiner Kamps. The investment will assist Kamps in raising his majority stake in fish restaurant...
GERMANY - Towerbrook Capital Partners acquires Fine Chemicals
Towerbrook Capital Partners LP has backed the buyout of Clariant's Fine Chemicals business. The value of the transaction is approximately EUR 70m.
UK - Core Growth Capital leads secondary buyout of London Graphic Centre
Core Growth Capital, manager of Core VCTs I, II and III, has led the secondary MBO of London Graphic Centre (LGC), investing £3m alongside £9m of debt facilities provided by Singer & Friedlander.
UK - Graphite backs £25m MBO of TMP Worldwide
Graphite Capital is backing the £25m management buyout of TMP Worldwide from its American parent, Monster Worldwide, Inc. TMP Worldwide is the UK and Ireland’s leading recruitment communications business, with 70% of its business in the public sector...
UK - Endless acquires GlynWebb.
Endless LLP has acquired chain retailer GlynWebb for an undisclosed sum. GlynWebb, which specializes in selling discounted DIY, homeware and garden products in the North and Midlands of England generates annual sales of £45m and is planning to increase...
ITALY - Siparex Italia arranges MBO of TecMo
Siparex Italia has completed the management buyout of TecMo from Thermadyne Holding Corporation, a multinational manufacturer of cutting and welding products. Siparex has taken a 50% interest in the acquisition vehicle and the senior debt was arranged...
NETHERLANDS - Rabo Private Equity invests in Duck-To Farm Holding BV
Rabo Private Equity and the current management have jointly acquired Duck-To Farm Holding BV, including its subsidiaries Duck-To Farm BV and Tomassen Poeliersbedrijf BV.