Industrials
Necessity is the mother of invention
Last year was a record one for Italy, which reported an increase of 12.5% in deals over 2006 figures. Spain reported similar success. However, we have already seen indications of a reduction in terms of volume and value of operations in Q1 2008
FRANCE - Oddo AM makes three investments
Oddo Asset Management has made three early-stage investments in eco-innovation companies.
UK - Warburg Pincus acquires Safetykleen for £565m
Warburg Pincus has acquired Safetykleen Europe, a pan-European industrial service provider, a deal worth £565m. The investor has acquired a majority stake.
GERMANY - EQT Partners sells remaining stake in Togum
EQT Partners has sold its remaining 22.3 percent stake Tognum AG to strategic investor Daimler AG.
UK - Private equity-backed IPOs outperform
According to research by Cass Business School, commissioned by the BVCA and the London Stock Exchange, private equity-backed companies perform better on listing than companies backed by other sources of capital. The key findings in the study included:
SPAIN – Arques takes over courier company
Arques Iberia, the Spanish subsidiary of Arques Industries has acquired parcel delivery service, Agencia Servicios Mensajeria (ASM), for a symbolic purchase price.
FRANCE – Demeter injects EUR 1.5m in TREZ
Demeter Partners has invested EUR 1.5m in TREZ in a first round of financing. TREZ plans to industrialise an innovative patented zinc-bearing hazardous waste process originating from the surface treatment industry. The financing round will be used to...
SWITZERLAND/FRANCE – Argos Soditic tucks into Valora
Argos Soditic has bought three food production companies from Swiss logistics and retail holding company Valora Holding AG. Switzerland-based Roland Murten AG and Kägi Söhne AG and French company Cansimag France SA have been acquired for an undisclosed...
ITALY - J Hirsch acquires 65% of Panini
J Hirsch & Co through its fund ILP III has acquired a 65% stake in Panini a company specialising in payment systems.
ITALY – Alto Partners in industrial manufacturer exit
Alto Partners have sold engineering firm Metalcastello to Mahindra & Mahindra and ICICI Venture Funds Management in a trade sale estimated at over EUR 100m in enterprise value.
UK - Fidelity sells B&B Electronics
Fidelity Equity Partners has sold portfolio company B&B Electronics, an industrial connectivity products manufacturer, to Graham Partners for an undisclosed sum.
UK - five bidders interested in Safety-Kleen
Blackstone, Cinven, Hellman & Friedman, Montagu and Warburg Pincus are reported to all mades bids for Safey-Kleen, a service provider to automotive and industrial customers.
Anchors away
Headlines are rife with updates on the credit crunch and every week a new bank is said to be in need of some sort of a bailout in the US or UK, yet somehow some positive news has been sailing through on the fundraising front. Recent closings of funds...
2008 DVCA Toplederconference
On 5 March, the Danish Venture Capital Association held its annual venture capital and private equity conference in Copenhagen. The day-long event included a number of high-profile speakers and a bit of controversy ... Linn Ronning reports
FINLAND – Eqvitec buys majority stake in Scaninter
Eqvitec Technology Fund III, together with Finnish Industry Investment Ltd, have acquired a majority stake in Oy Scaninter Nokia Ltd, a vertical access equipment manufacturer, for an undisclosed value.
UK - NBGIPE sells heating company to engineering conglomerate
NBGI Private Equity has sold Hamworthy Heating, a designer and manufacturer of commercial heating equipment, to French engineering conglomerate Atlantic Sfdt.
FRANCE – Wendel raises interest in Saint-Gobain to 20%
Wendel’s interest in listed company Saint-Gobain has been raised to 20.6% giving them 19.6% of the voting rights.
UK - Foresight makes three investments
Foresight Group has made three new investments in the environment sector, totalling £14m.
SPAIN – Arques Industrie exits from chemical manufacturer
Arques Industries AG has sold its stake in chemical manufacturer Oxiris Chemicals to Ludwingshafener Raschig Gruppe in a deal valued at approximately EUR 10.5m.
ITALY – Ambienta reaches first closing on EUR 124m
Ambienta has reached the first closing of its first vehicle, Ambienta I on EUR 123.75m. Commitments were provided by Italian and financial institutions, industrial groups and Italian and international private investors. The second fundraising stage, which...
SPAIN - Basque country Sgcer backs industrial player
Basque government private equity firm Sgcer, and local savings banks BBK, Kutxa and Vital have acquired a 16.3% stake in industrial company Ramón Vizcaíno in a deal valued at EUR 4.5m. The remaining stake is retained by the company’s owners.