DACH
GERMANY – Large buyout firms to start trade group
It is believed that some of the largest leveraged buyout firms in the US and Europe are preparing to start their own lobbying group early next year to fend off increased regulation.
GERMANY - Life Science Partners recruits Jörg Neermann
Life Science Partners (LSP) has announced that Dr Jörg Neermann will join its team as partner operating from the Munich office as of 1 January 2007. Dr Neermann arrives from DVC Deutsche Venture Capital where he was a member of the investment team,...
SWITZERLAND - Butler carves out Rhodia's European string and fibre operations
Butler Capital Partners has backed the management buyout of chemical specialist Rhodia's European fibre and string business. The buyout house took a 95% equity stake, while management retained the balance.
GERMANY – EQT-backed Symrise to float
The German flavours and fragrances company Symrise has set the bookbuilding range for its IPO next Monday between EUR 15.75 and 17.75. The company intends to float up to 81m shares, 37.8m as part of a capital increase, which, if valued at the top end...
GERMANY/FRANCE – Lafarge roofing unit sells for EUR 2.4bn
PAI Partners have acquired the roofing business of French cement giant Lafarge SA for EUR 2.4bn. The enterprise value for the acquisition consists of EUR 1.96bn of net equity and EUR 420m of debt and pension liabilities. JP Morgan and Rothschild co-arranged...
GERMANY – New partner joins Lovells in Frankfurt
M&A and private equity specialist Wolfgang Hess will leave Simmons’ Frankfurt office to join Lovells as a partner in January.
GERMANY – Francotyp-Postalia floats on the Prime Standard
Quadriga Capital has floated German mailing systems solutions company Francotyp-Postalia on the Prime Standard in Frankfurt. The share price was set at EUR 19 and 2.7 million new shares were offered as part of a capital increase, resulting in gross primary...
AUSTRIA – IDENTEC SOLUTIONS raises EUR 10m
SAM Private Equity has led a financing round of EUR 10m in Austrian company IDENTEC SOLUTIONS. Other financial backers included gcp gamma capital partners, Sustainable Performance Group and RFID Invest. The company will use the funding to launch additional...
GERMANY – ubitexx GmbH receives funding
BayBG has invested EUR 400,000 in Munich-based ubitexx GmbH, a specialist company for professional PDA and Smartphone solutions. The funding will be used for software development and expansion of existing distribution channels.
GERMANY – vertico software raises EUR 2m
FirstVentury Equity GmbH has invested EUR 2m in Karlsruhe-based VoIP manufacturer vertico software GmbH in a first financing round. The funding was made via the venture capitalist’s aeris Technology Fund.
GERMANY – GermanCapital buys into ALNO AG
GermanCapital has acquired a minority stake in German kitchen manufacturer, ALNO AG via its bidding company Küchen Holding. The strategic investor acquired its 20.6% stake from Commerzbank AG and has now made a voluntary public takeover bid of EUR 7.20...
GERMANY - HC Starck sells for EUR 1.2bn
Financial investors Advent International and Carlyle Group have acquired H C Starck from German chemicals and pharmaceuticals group Bayer for EUR 1.2bn. Swiss bank UBS ran the limited auction process, which had attracted trade as well as financial buyers....
GERMANY – ProSiebenSat1 bidders down to three
Reports suggest that only three bidders remain in the race to acquire Germany’s largest commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat1 after CVC is said to have dropped out. Remaining known bidders are the two consortiums comprising financial investors Permira...
GERMANY – BC Partners bids for Techem
BC Partners has made an offer of EUR 52 per share for the German utility billing specialist Techem AG. The financial investor offers EUR 8 more per share than Macquarie Bank that had announced its bid of EUR 44 per share on 23 October. BC Partners’ offer...
GERMANY – AXA Private Equity buys CABB
AXA Private Equity has acquired more than 70% of shares in German specialty chemicals company CABB GmbH. As a result previous financial investor Gilde has fully exited its investment. CABB, formerly part of the Hoechst group, had been a subsidiary of...
AUSTRIA – Bidders for BAWAG drop to four
The number of bidders for Austria’s fourth largest bank in terms of volume of assets has dropped to four after the latest round in the auction process, according to press reports. It is understood that the remaining parties include German bank BayernLB...
GERMANY – nugg.ad receives growth capital
Bmp AG and IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH have invested in Berlin-based media company nugg.ad. The financial investors each take a 17.5% stake, with nugg.ad founders holding the balance.
GERMANY – Waterland acquires second gaming arcade operator within a month
Waterland Private Equity has acquired Highway Automaten GmbH through its third fund Waterland Private Equity Fund III BV that closed on EUR 400m in April this year. The financial investor had previously acquired Löwen Play, the second largest amusement...
GERMANY – Deutsche Beteiligungs AG takes control of Homag
Schopfloch-based Homag Group AG, a manufacturer of woodworking machinery for the furniture and construction supplies industries, has been acquired by Deutsche Beteiligungs AG. The financial investor had already held a 21.4% stake and acquired an additional...
GERMANY – T-Mobile Venture Fund backs 4G Systems
The German manufacturer of HSDPA mobile terminals has completed a financing round led by T-Mobile Venture Fund. Existing investors Brockhaus Private Equity and Adinvest also participated.
GERMANY – Francotyp-Postalia to float
The German mailing systems solutions company Francotyp-Postalia is to raise up to EUR 191m on the German Prime Standard. The book-building range has been set between EUR 18-22.5, and shares are particularly aimed at institutional investors.
GERMANY – Bridgepoint aims for the Mittelstand
Bridgepoint has declared it is willing to acquire three to five Mittelstand companies in the coming months. The transactions are expected to be in the range of EUR 200m to EUR 750m.
GERMANY – Heliad invests in money and securities services
Heliad Equity Partners has taken a 49% stake in Unicorn Geld- und Wertdienstleistungen GmbH. The financial investor provided EUR 5m in equity capital and a partner loan. The company's management holds the balance.
GERMANY – Timeline set for the German private equity law
The Federal Ministry of Finance has announced that it aims to have a bill drafted by the cabinet by the middle of next year. This means that the new legislation is on course to come into force in 2008. The new legislation is highly anticipated as it will...