Deals
SWEDEN - EQT sells Tradex to Brady Corporation
EQT II has signed an agreement with Brady Corporation, Milwaukee, a world leader in identification solutions and precision die-cut components, to sell Tradex Converting AB. EQT acquired Tradex in May 2000, together with the sixth AP Fund (20%) and the...
NORWAY - Ferd Private Equity Fund acquires D&F Group
FPEF has acquired the oil service company D&F Group from the founders and management of the company. The company is a leading supplier of services to the oil and gas industry on the Norwegian continental shelf within the areas of surface treatment, passive...
UK - LDC backs buyout of National Accident Helpline
LDC has backed the management buyout of National Accident Helpline (NAH) – the UK’s biggest personal injury claims management company.
UK - Primary backs FoneStarz in £4m development funding
Primary Capital has backed mobile content specialist FoneStarz Media Group Ltd with £4m of development funding and taken a 50% stake in the company.
UK - North West Equity Fund invests in Malagasy
North West Equity Fund has led a £150,000 round of funding for Malagasy Ltd. Debt was provided by HSBC and Rosebud Fund.
UK - Duke Street invests £100m in Food to Go
Duke Street Capital has acquired Food Partners, a leading supplier of pre-packed sandwiches to food service operators in the UK.
FRANCE - Sagard acquires laundry group from Astorg
Sagard has backed the secondary buyout of Régie Linge Développement (RLD) from Astorg Partners. The private equity house has gained an 80% shareholding in France’s third largest professional linen hire, while the management team holds the balance....
SWITZERLAND - Endoart SA receives SFr 13.5m series C funding
A syndicate of investors co-led by Venture Incubator AG, Switzerland and Renaissance PME managed by Vinci Capital has invested SFr 13.5m in Endoart SA. The series C financing also received commitments from EMBL Ventures and Genevest. A number of existing...
GERMANY - 3i floats Magix
3i has successfully backed the floatation of international multimedia software provider MAGIX AG. The company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on 6 April. The offering was 13.2 times oversubscribed and left 3i with an 11.2% stake in the company...
FRANCE - Financial investors retain majority of Legrand following refloat
Wendel Investissement and KKR hold a 60% stake in Legrand following the refloat of the company. The offering was 30 times over-subscribed. The public now holds approximately 20% of the Legrand's capital, with minority shareholders holding the remaining...
GERMANY - DZ Equity Partner acquires aluminium and titanium specialist
DZ Equity Partner GmbH, together with company management, has acquired 100% of TITAL Titan-Aluminium-Feinguss GmbH. The value of the transaction, which was agreed on 1 April, is undisclosed. The vendors, a group of private investors, were advised by Hübner,...
SPAIN - 3i acquires Gamesa Group
3i has acquired a 100% stake in Gamesa Energía y Servicios SA and Siemsa Este SA (GES). Both are divisions of Corporación Tecnológica Gamesa. The company specialises in the construction and maintenance of wind farms and has a diversified petrochemical...
UK - Atlas Venture-backed Renovo lists on LSE
Renovo, a spin-out from Manchester University, has listed on the London Stock Exchange today. The floatation raised £50m. Atlas Venture provided seed financing to the company in 2000, assisting Professor Mark Ferguson with the university spin-out. Atlas...
NETHERLANDS - ABN AMRO Capital exits RTD to Applus for EUR 193m
ABN AMRO Capital has sold its stake in Röntgen Technische Dienst Holding BV to Applus Services Technologicos SL. The transaction is valued at EUR 193m. ABN AMRO Capital acquired the company from Lloyds Register in 2002. The exit transaction is expected...
ITALY - Investindustrial acquires 65% of Stroili Oro
Investindustrial has led the acquisition of 65% of Stroili Oro, Italy’s leading jewellery retail chain. L-Capital (LVMH Group) and Ergon Capital, former shareholders of Stroili Oro, will retain a 35% shareholding. Following the acquisition, a minority...
SWEDEN - Carlyle and Providence to acquire Swedish cable operation
Liberty Global has announced that it has reached an agreement to sell 100% of its Swedish cable business, UPC Sverige AB to a consortium comprising The Carlyle Group (“Carlyle”) and Providence Equity Partners.
UK - Barclays Ventures supports 99p stores expansion
99p Stores Ltd, a leading UK single price point value retailer, has announced that it plans to open up to 45 new stores throughout the UK in the next 20 months, doubling its present number of outlets. Barclays Ventures, together with other shareholders...
UK - Hg completes acquisition of Paragon Healthcare Group
HgCapital has acquired Paragon Healthcare Group from Duke Street Capital in a £322m buyout.
FRANCE - Siparex and Avenir Entreprises back IT provider
Avenir Entreprises Gestion and Siparex, through its Rhônes-Alpes PME Gestion fund, have backed a first round of funding in CISA Informatique. The investors have injected EUR 770,000 each in the newco, Amilcar Developpement.
FRANCE - Alpha’s fifth fund acquires Mecatherm
Alpha Private Equity Fund 5 has announced its first investment since it closed on EUR 750m in February 2006. The fund has acquired Mecatherm from Astorg Partners, 21 Centrale Partners and Cogepa, alongside its management team. APEF 5 will hold a majority...
UK - Matrix backs MBO of VSI Ltd
VSI Ltd, a group specialising in developing and marketing 3D software, has been sold by its founder shareholders to the management team in a £6m MBO. Matrix Private Equity Partners invested £1.9m with the remaining funds comprising cash and roll-over...
SWEDEN - CapMan invests in Swedish fashion retail chain MQ
CapMan funds will acquire the majority holding in Swedish fashion retail chain MQ.
UK - LDC backs St Tropez
St Tropez, the self tanning brand, has received funding from LDC in order to capitalise on the huge global demand for self tanning products.
GERMANY / UK - Wellington Partners back Zopa in further round
Wellington Partners has provided $15m to UK-based Zopa Ltd in a second round of financing. The group was initially part of a first round financial consortium including Benchmark Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.