Deals
UK - 3i invests £21m in MKM Building Supplies
3i has invested a further £21m into MKM Building Supplies (MKM), the fifth largest independent builders’ merchant in the UK. The existing management of David Kilburn and Bill Acton retains an interest in the business and is investing alongside 3i.
UK - Oxford Capital Partners and Noble Fund Managers invest £1.25m in TXT4
Oxford Capital Partners and Noble Fund Managers have announced their investment in London-based TXT4 Ltd, a pioneer and leader in the provision of mobile response technology to advertisers. Oxford Capital Partners, acting as lead investor, and Noble Fund...
FRANCE - 3i sells interest in Groupe Vendôme to Johnson & Johnson
3i has entered into an agreement to sell its interest in Groupe Vendôme to Johnson & Johnson Consumer France SAS for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2006.
ITALY - Siparex Italia and Emerald invest in Vimec LBO
Siparex Italia has recently participated in the buyout of the world’s third-largest manufacturer of elevating equipment for the mobility impaired, alongside the fund Emerald. Siparex Italia has invested EUR 1.5m in a majority LBO that was completed...
UK - Coalfields Enterprise Fund invests in Durham Pipeline Technology
The Coalfields Enterprise Fund, the venture capital fund managed by Enterprise Ventures on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, has completed an investment in Durham Pipeline Technology Ltd, as part of a syndicated investment with the North...
GERMANY - Commerzbank takes MLA role on Norma buyout
Commerzbank Corporates and Markets (CBCM) has announced today that it is acting as sole mandated lead arranger and underwriter of the senior and mezzanine debt facilities supporting the buyout of Norma Group by 3i. The financing documentation was signed...
FINLAND - Nexit sells Hybrid Graphics to Nvidia
Nexit Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on mobile technologies and services, has agreed to sell its share of Finland-based graphics technology provider Hybrid Graphics to US-based 3D technology company Nvidia Corporation.
AUSTRIA - Permira sells remaining AMS shares
Permira has sold its remaining shares in Austria Microsystems to Morgan Stanley for approximately EUR 180m for placement with international institutional investors. Permira had a remaining shareholding of around 34% in Austria Microsystems, an Austrian...
GERMANY - Industri Kapital acquires Sport Group from ECM
Industri Kapital has signed an agreement with funds advised by ECM to acquire Sport Group, a leading European provider of outdoor sport and recreational surface systems.
UK - Bridgepoint sells Hydrex for £106m
Hydrex Group, the specialist supplier of mobile operated equipment and associated support services for the UK rail and materials handling sector, has been sold by Bridgepoint to Quilvest and Shoaibi Group in a transaction totalling £106m.
UK - Barclays Ventures exits Media Audits Group Ltd
Barclays Ventures has realised its investment in Media Audits Group Limited, a market leader in measuring returns on advertising investment.
DENMARK - KT Venture Group joins $6m investment in asetek
asetek has announced that US-based KT Venture Group, Northzone Ventures, Vaekstfonden and a group of existing investors have participated in the $6m funding round in the company.
GERMANY - 3i Europe takes over major automotive supplier
3i Europe has acquired a controlling stake in German industrial supplier Rasmussen GmbH / Norma Group via a management buyout. The transaction includes all shares held by the company managers.
NETHERLANDS - Rabo Participaties invests in mushroom assimilator
Rabo Participaties has announced that it has taken a minority stake in mushroom assimilation company Van Soest Champi'mer (VSC).
BULGARIA - Mezzanine Management backs bottled water firm
Mezzanine Management, the independent mezzanine and private equity provider, has announced that its Central European fund, Accession Mezzanine Capital (AMC), has backed the institutional buyout of the Devin Group, the largest bottled water company in...
UK - Permira abandons HMV bid
Shares in HMV Group have fallen following the decision by Permira to pullout of talks to buy the firm. Last week HMV rejected the private equity house's 210p a share bid for the company, which valued it at £842.7m and followed an earlier bid of 190p....
SWEDEN - IK makes 3x money on Myresjöhus recap
Industri Kapital has recapped Myresjöhus, a Swedish prefabricated house builder, it bought 12 months ago giving a return of 3x its original investment.
UK - CVC gets green light for F1 deal
The European Commission has approved the acquisition of the Formula One Group by funds managed or advised by CVC Capital Partners Group.
UK - iPLATO receives first round funding from The Capital Fund
iPLATO Ltd, the leader in mobile healthcare applications, has attracted first round funding from The Capital Fund, a £50m venture capital fund that invests in fast-growth companies in Greater London and whose investors include the DTI and The European...
FRANCE - PE to bid for Emap assets?
According to press reports, private equity firms are expected to be involved in the bidding for Emap France, which is has been put up for sale for around EUR 600m.
UK - No deal at House of Fraser
House of Fraser has formally announced that preliminary talks regarding a possible offer for the company have ceased.
AUSTRIA - VST secures EUR 3m mezzanine loan
Vienna-based Mezzainin Finanzierungs AG has made a EUR 3m investment in VST Verbundschalungstechnik to assist in the company's expansion plans in the Nordics.
UK - Edinburgh Robotics wins new funding
Edinburgh Robotics Ltd has secured an equity investment led by Braveheart Ventures Ltd. The investment was completed via the SMART Equity Scheme which is designed to help spin-out companies, by providing matched funding to recipients of the Scottish Executive’s...
NETHERLANDS - ABN AMRO sells Radio Holland
ABN AMRO Capital and Stichting Co-Investors Radio Holland Group have agreed the sale of Dutch based Radio Holland Group to Imtech NV, for a purchase price of EUR 47m. Through this exit, ABN AMRO Capital will achieve a money multiple of 4.4x the initial...