News/Deals
UK - Sovereign Capital backs £18m acquisition of London Care
Sovereign Capital has backed the £18m buyout of London Care plc, one of the largest domiciliary care businesses in the UK.
FRANCE - HIG to take over Molex
According to reports, HIG Capital is in talks to acquire US automotive company Molex's Villemur-sur-Tarn factory for a symbolic EUR 1, given certain performance guarantees from US parent Molex.
FRANCE - Gimv backs Made In Design with EUR 4.5m
Private equity firm Gimv has backed online furniture retailer Made in Design in a first institutional financing round worth EUR 4.5m.
GERMANY – Riverside acquires Kaul GmbH
The Riverside Company has acquired additives company Kaul GmbH, with equity from its European Fund REF IV, and acquisition debt provided by Unicredit Markets, Investment Banking and Berenberg Bank.
UK - Citi Venture Capital International to invest $25m into SkyVision Holdings
Citi Venture Capital International, via its Citigroup Venture Capital International Africa Fund (CVCIAF), has agreed to invest $25m into IP service provider SkyVision Holdings Limited, in exchange for a 23% stake in the business.
UK - NESTA and Eden invest in Basekit
NESTA and Eden Ventures have invested in UK start-up company Basekit.
UK - NJD Capital backs buyout of HFW Plastics from administration
Listed venture investor NJD Capital has backed the buyout of HFW Plastics from KPMG adminstrators in a deal believed to be worth over £350,000. The deal will see the formation of a new company called Thermopak.
GLOBAL - GI Partners completes sale of assets in first fund
Private equity and real estate investor GI Partners has sold the last remaining asset in its first fund, a Frankfurt data center, to Equinix Holding BV for $28m.
SWITZERLAND - HBM et al. sells ESBATech to Alcon
A consortium comprising HBM BioVentures, SV Life Sciences, Clarus Ventures, BioMedinvest, Novartis Bioventures and VI Partners has agreed to sell ESBATech AG to listed eye care company Alcon, for an initial cash purchase price of $150m.
GERMANY - caption acquires stake in RTS-Group
capiton has acquired a stake in electronics after-sale services provider RTS-Group.
FRANCE - Astorg to take stake in EUR 500m Gras Savoye
It is understood that Astorg Partners is in exclusive negotiations with insurance broker Gras Savoye regarding the acquisition of a minority stake in the business, in a deal that would value the business at EUR 500m.
EUROPE - 3i sells venture portfolio to Coller-, HarbourVest-backed Encore
Secondaries specialists Coller Capital and HarbourVest Partners have teamed up with venture house DFJ Esprit to acquire a £130m portfolio of venture assets from 3i. The portfolio will be managed by a new division of DFJ, Encore Ventures.
ITALY - Hutton completes EUR 45m Aquafil funding
Hutton Collins has invested EUR 45m into flooring specialist Aquafil, with the current owner, the Bonazzi Group, retaining majority control.
FRANCE - Siparex and FCPR lead EUR 6.5m Labellemontagne investment
Siparex and FCPR CERAE, the private equity arm of the Caisse d'Epargne Rhone-Alpes, have led a EUR 6.5m investment into ski station operator Labellemontage.
NETHERLANDS - Mentha and BNP inject $10m into Anteryon
New investor Mentha Capital and existing backer BNP Paribas Private Equity have invested $10m into optics specialist Anteryon.
FRANCE - Apax-backed Financière Hélios granted further sauvegarde protection
Apax Partners-backed Financière Hélios, a holding vehicle that controls 43% of engineering company Séchilienne-Sidec, has been granted another month of protection by the Parisian courts under the 'sauvegarde' procedure.
GERMANY - HBM reaps 22x return on Brahms sale
HBM Partners has sold biotechnology company Brahms to listed trade buyer Thermo Fisher Scientific, in an all-cash deal that values the business at EUR 330m and generates a return of close to 22x money.
UK - General Atlantic decreases interest in Xchanging plc
Private equity firm General Atlantic has reduced its stake in its listed portfolio company Xchanging plc, a provider of business processing services, to less than 10%.
UK - Spectrum Equity invests in Business Monitor International
US-based Spectrum Equity Investors has invested in research company Business Monitor International (BMI).
UK - Bridges Ventures exits Insurance Dialogue
Bridges Ventures has sold portfolio brokerage company Insurance Dialogue to trade buyer Equity Insurance Group for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - Blackstone and Lion Capital to sell Orangina
Blackstone and Lion Capital have announced that they are in discussions with Japanese drinks company Suntory regarding the sale of soft drinks producer Orangina Schweppes.
ITALY - Bridgepoint interested in Sia-Ssb
It is understood that European private equity firm Bridgepoint is preparing an offer for card processing business Sia-Ssb, which has been on the block since Autumn 2008.
UK - RCapital backs acquisition of Helena assets
Turnaround specialist RCapital has backed the company voluntary agreement (CVA) of troubled nightclub operator Helena Leisure Group.
SWITZERLAND - Novartis-backed Evolva acquires Arpida; prepares listing
Swiss biotechnology company Evolva, which is backed by a venture capital consortium including Novartis Venture, Aravis, Sunstone Capital and Dansk Innovationsinvestering, has acquired listed rival Arpida. The combined entity is to seek a listing on the...