Nordics
FINLAND - Eqvitec and Creandum invest in Colochrome
Colochrome Ltd, a Finnish manufacturer of protective lenses for mobile handsets and hand-held electronic devices, has secured series-A financing from Eqvitec Technology Fund III and Creandum. The arrangement also includes debt financing from the OP Bank...
SWEDEN - Industri Kapital sells entire Oriflame holding
The Industri Kapital 1997 Fund has sold its remaining shareholding in Swedish cosmetics company Oriflame Cosmetics SA for SEK 242 per Swedish Depositary Receipts (SDR). The sale corresponds to 4.5% of the total number of shares and votes in Oriflame and...
FINLAND - Sentica buys cleaning solutions business
A fund managed by Sentica Partners has acquired the entire share capital of Finnish industrial cleaning technology supplier Finnsonic Ltd.
SWEDEN - Bank of Scotland opens offices in Stockholm
Bank of Scotland has announced the opening of its new corporate banking office on Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm. The office will offer corporate banking services including acquisition finance, corporate banking, real estate finance, infrastructure finance...
FINLAND - CapMan records 24% increase in capital under management
CapMan has reported that its capital under management has increased by 24% in the first half of 2006 from the comparative period last year. Its capital under management totalled EUR 2,322m on 30 June 2006 compared to EUR 1,872m on 30 June 2005.
FINLAND - 3i appoints Hannu Isohaaro as country manager in Finland
Hannu Isohaaro has been appointed country manager of 3i Nordic in Finland as of July 2006. He will replace Ere Kariola, who has moved to a new role as senior adviser of 3i Nordic plc.
SWEDEN - Altor buys 80% of Dustin
Altor is to acquire 80% of the shares in Dustin, a company trading computers and computer equipment via the internet and by mail order. The remaining shares will be retained by the founders and the current owners.
SWEDEN - SciBase secures SEK 100m in growth funding
SciBase AB, a Swedish medical technology company, has secured a SEK 100m investment. The investors include Investor Growth Capital, SEB Företagsinvest and CapMan. Following the transaction, the three venture capital groups control 80% of the company.
SWEDEN - 3i's Alimak Hek buys Australian rental fleet operator
3i’s portfolio company Alimak Hek has bought Australian rental fleet operator Conrent for SEK 88m from Coates Hire Limited. Conrent rents and installs man and materials hoists and mast climbing work platforms.
DENMARK - VC-backed Santaris Pharma enters collaboration agreement
Venture-backed Santaris Pharma A/S has entered into a collaboration with Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc in a deal potentially worth over $200m. The companies will co-develop and commercialise a series of innovative RNA antagonists and the drugs will be based...
FINLAND - CapMan exits from Matka-Vekka
Funds managed by CapMan have sold Finland’s private travel agency chain Matkatoimisto Oy Matka-Vekka to Icelandic Heimsferdir EHF. The value of the deal has not been disclosed. CapMan funds Finnventure IV and Finnmezzanine II acquired ownership of Matka-Vekka...
SWEDEN - Procuritas sells NSG Logistics to John Nurminen
Procuritas Capital Partners II has sold NSG Logistics to John Nurminen Oy. John Nurminen Oy has acquired the share capital of NSG Logistics, which means that the company will become the owner of AB SkandiaTransport, SkandiaTransport A/S and Göteborgs...
SWEDEN - EQT and Investor increase holding in Gambro to 99.3%
Indap, indirectly jointly-owned by Investor AB and EQT IV, has increased its holding in medical technology company Gambro to 99.3% in the final offer acceptance period. The settlement for Gambro shares duly tendered by July 19 2006 is expected to commence...
DENMARK - CVC Capital Partners sells DT Group
CVC Capital Partners has announced the signing of an agreement to sell DT Group (formerly Danske Traelast) to Wolseley. Wolseley has bought the leading distributor of building materials for an equity value of EUR 1,498m.
SWEDEN - Procuritas buys North Trade
Procuritas Capital Investor III has acquired a majority shareholding in meat products importer North Trade AB. Going forward, North Trade plans to launch new products and expand geographically.
NORWAY - Norvestor’s Life Europe buys more shares in Life Scandinavia
Norvestor Equity’s Life Europe AB has increased its shareholding in Norwegian health food retailer Life Scandinavia AS to 89%. The seller of the stake is Validius, which will continue to own 11% of the shares. Following the transaction, Norvestor owns...
NORWAY - Norvestor's SCAN Geophysical completes NOK 315m private placement
SCAN Geophysical ASA has completed a private placement of approximately NOK 315m. The offering included 24,230,000 new shares with a share price of NOK 13. SCAN will now be listed on the OTC list, and the pricing implies a market capitalisation of the...
FINLAND - Movida Group makes a EUR 6m investment in Habbo
Movida Group, which is a joint venture by SoftBank BB corp. and Asian Groove, has agreed to make a EUR 6m investment in 3i-backed Habbo Hotel, a leading online teen community operated by Sulake Corporation. The investment will be executed through Movida...
SWEDEN - Industrifonden to open Gothenburg office
Industrifonden will open a new office in Gothenburg in August to increase its presence on the West coast of Sweden. Thomas Carlström, one of the group's most experienced investment managers, will work there four days a week.
SWEDEN - Altor acquires PIAB
Altor Fund II has signed an agreement to acquire the Swedish vacuum technology company, PIAB Invest AB from the Tell family. Altor are aiming to significantly expand the company within the next few years as they will now have the required capital and...
SWEDEN – Glintir acquires Fischer Partners
Glintir has today announced the acquisition of all shares in the Swedish brokerage firm Fischer Partners from Invik & Co AB. This will enable Glintir to establish a solid platform in the Nordic securities brokerage sector as Fischer Partners has shown...
SWEDEN - Fiskars Corporation to purchase Silva Group
Fiskars Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire the Sweden-based Silva Group which will include its US-based subsidiary The Brunton Company. The two leading providers of outdoor activity-related products will operate under the Fiskar brands, including...
ICELAND - Anders H. Rønningen leaves Advokatfirmaet Selmer
From 1st October 2006, Anders H. Rønningen, 34, will join Glintir Securities Corporate as new director to develop a strong corporate unit. He will be coming from the Norwegian law firm Selmer, where, since 2002, he developed the business area strategy...
SWEDEN - Q-Park acquires Carpark from Bridgepoint
Q-Park, the European cap parking company, has acquired the Swedish parking firm CP Group AB (also called Carpark) from Bridgepoint for an undisclosed sum. Carpark, founded in 1959 is a leading car park operator in the Nordic region, this acquisition will...