Sector
Carry on up
It seems things could be looking up for French private equity. We are only in the early months of 2008, a year which has been roundly touted as likely to be one of the toughest and most testing for the industry for some time, yet there has already been...
On the fast track east
Austria has lagged behind its DACH neighbours in terms of activity. However, its slow-but-steady approach has seen it weather the recent market blip - and now it has cast its eyes east
FINLAND - Ratos-backed Medifiq Healthcare makes SEK 610m acquisition
Ratos-owned Medifiq Healthcare has wholly acquired Medisize Medical, a Swiss manufacturer of medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging, which is part of the listed group Medisize Holding for an enterprise value of SEK 610m.
DENMARK - AAC Capital and Polaris in BabySam MBO
AAC Capital Partners and Polaris Private Equity agreed to acquire a majority stake in BabySam as part of an management buyout of the business for an undisclosed value.
ITALY – Palladio acquires industrial manufacturer Emer
Palladio Finanziaria has acquired specialised industrial manufacturer Emer in a club deal led by Pop Milano Venice which also included Mps Capital Services and Efibanca. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed but according to sources it is...
UK - European Capital completes £36m refinancing of Avery Weigh-Tronix
European Capital has refinanced portfolio company Avery Weigh-Tronix Holdings Ltd with ТЃ36m of senior credit facilities provided by Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC. The refinancing follows the disposal of Averyтs food retail weighing business and will...
UK - Close Growth Capital acquires Blueberry from 3i for £12m
Close Growth Capital has backed the ТЃ12m secondary management buyout of ambient food supplier Blueberry Group Ltd from 3i. 3i acquired Blueberry in 2005.
ITALY - Intesa Sanpaolo leads investment in Gruppo Margaritelli
Intesa Sanpaolo led the acquisition of a 10% stake in flooring company Gruppo Margaritelli alongside BCC Private Equity 1 in a deal valued at approximately EUR 9m.
GERMANY - Neuhaus Partners finances Telcast
Neuhaus Partners has, together with business angels Stefan Wiskemann and Ulrich Brunet, invested an undisclosed sum in media company Telcast Media Group GmbH.
EUROPE - New fund Vitruvian closes on EUR 925m
New middle-market private equity firm, Vitruvian Partners, has closed its maiden fund, Vitruvian Investment Partnership (VIP), on EUR 925m, exceeding its EUR 900m target.
FRANCE – LBO France backs Tiama's acquisition of SGCC
LBO France has backed a secondary LMBO deal in which its portfolio company Tiama Group acquired SGCC Group. The deal saw Atria Capital Partners exit its 90% share in SGCC. SGCC’s entire management team led by Luc Boulant joined Tiama’s management team...
SPAIN – Mercapital still involved in pharmaceuticals auction
Mercapital is believed to be the only private equity operator still bidding for the Spanish branch of US Bentley Pharmaceuticals. The auction process began some six months ago.
SWITZERLAND - Zurmont Madison Private Equity acquires SMB SA
Zurmont Madison Private Equity L.P. has acquired the metallurgy specialist SMB SA as part of a succession solution for an undisclosed sum. In the course of the change of ownership, Raymond-Jean Lacoste will join the company as of mid-March as the new...
UK - Montagu bid for Biffa safe after Terra Firma and Suez pull out
Montagu Private Equity's recommended offer for Biffa, the waste disposal group, is to go ahead uncontested after Terra Firma, which was thought to be preparing a counterbid alongside French utility group Suez, backed away from the deal. The Montagu-consortium...
GERMANY – Index Ventures & Wellington Partners invest $80m in Adconion
Index Ventures led a series-C round of funding for online advertising networks business Adconion Media Group, and was joined by existing investor Wellington Partners, with the total sum amounting to $80m.
FRANCE - Pragma Capital closes second fund on EUR 345m
Pragma Capital has closed its second fund Pragma II on EUR 345m. The fund exceeded its target by EUR 45m. It will seek to invest between EUR 10m and 35m in companies with a value of between EUR 50m and EUR 250m.
UK - Close Ventures invests £1.5m in Opta Sportsdata
Close Ventures has invested ТЃ1.5m into Opta Sportsdata Ltd (trading as Opta), a European provider of sports data and analysis to media companies. The investment will be used to help grow sales in the existing business in the UK and the rest of Europe....