Ardian-backed Trigo acquires Lumbee Enterprises

Nicole Tovstiga
24 July 2018

Tweet
Facebook
LinkedIn
Google plus
Send to

France-based industrial consulting, training and auditing firm Trigo Group, backed by Ardian, has acquired South Carolina-based Lumbee Enterprises, which provides operational management services for the manufacturing sector.

The deal marks Trigo's first transaction in 2018, and is a move to expand its presence in the US and within the automotive industry. It is the fifth acquisition since private equity firm Ardian first backed Trigo in 2016.

Trigo plans to leverage Lumbee's market position and brand in supply chain and logistics services to further expand its business in the US automotive sector.

Previous funding
IK Investment Partners acquired Trigo from Atria Capital Partenaires in July 2011. Equity for the transaction was provided by the IK 2007 fund, which raised €1.675bn at final close in October 2007.

Trigo acquired a majority stake in quality control process outsourcing company Qualitaire in December 2012, with support from IK.

The business then acquired Canadian peer PIC Group in November 2015. The combination of Trigo and PIC resulted in a group generating $230m in annual sales and employing a combined workforce of 7,000 across 20 countries. Trigo was expected to benefit from PIC's presence in the North American market, while PIC took advantage of Trigo's access to aerospace clients.

Ardian entered into exclusive negotiations with IK to acquire Trigo in April 2016. Ardian invested alongside the management team, which remained in place.

Company
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Greer, South Carolina, Lumbee provides operational management services for the manufacturing sector. Its management services are intended to shorten supply chain interruptions through the use of technological processes.

Established in 1997 and led by CEO Matthieu Rambaud since 2013, Trigo is a multinational company providing quality control services to the manufacturing sector, particularly within the transportation industries.

People
Trigo Group – Matthieu Rambaud (CEO).
Lumbee Enterprises – Colby Griffin (cofounder).