News
NORWAY - FSV buys Trøndelag Vekst portfolio
Four Seasons Venture V A and B K/S (FSV V) has acquired five unlisted holdings from Trøndelag Vekst for an undisclosed sum. The portfolio consists of technology-based companies in various stages of development including Smartmotor, Follatech and Mison....
UK - Paladin Associates to back Caffe Nero
The Financial Times reports that Paladin Associates is to back the founder of Caffe Nero, Gerry Ford, to take the 260-store coffee shop chain private. Caffe Nero's share price rose 11% on the news that the company had received an informal takeover approach....
TURKEY - Turkish exit for Advent International
Advent International and its Turkish investment partner, Turkven Private Equity, have sold their 50% holding in Turkish packaged bread producer, Unmas, to the shareholders of their strategic partner, Doruk, for $18 million.
SWITZERLAND - Rimer to pursue medtech
According to press reports, one of the four Rimer brothers, Richard, has left Index Ventures to launch his own business focused on med tech and medical devices.
ITALY - Electra Partners to sell Azelis
According to reports in the Financial Times Deutschland, Electra Partners has appointed BNP Paribas to handle the sale of Azelis, an Italian wholesaler of chemicals.
FINLAND - Ratos to buy Perlos Healthcare in EUR 67m deal
Ratos has signed an agreement to buy 78% of Perlos Healthcare. The cash and debt free purchase price of Perlos’ healthcare business by the new company is worth approximately EUR 67m.
DENMARK - Grontmij shareholders accept acquisition of Carl Bro
Grontmij shareholders have accepted the takeover of Danish engineering consultancy group Carl Bro. The current CEO of Carl Bro has been appointed as a member of Grontmij’s management board.
DENMARK - Axcel buys 60% of Netcompany
Axcel has acquired 60% of the shares in IT consultancy Netcompany. The remaining 40% of the shares are still held by the company’s three founders and a number of senior executives. The three founders will remain in charge of the day-to-day management...
UK - MFI retail deal in final stages
According to the Financial Times, the board of MFI has agreed to pay a 'dowry' to Merchant Equity Partners in order to facilitate the private equity institution taking the loss-making retail chain off its hands.
UK - Private equity targets NTL
The Financial Times reports that talks between a private equity consortium and NTL's senior management are taking place today. The consortium is led by Providence Equity and also includes Blackstone, Cinven and KKR.
FRANCE - Netvibes raises EUR 12m in its second round
Netvibes, a personalised home-page website, has raised EUR 12m in its second of financing. The financial investors are Index Ventures, which had already taken part in the first round in March this year, and US venture capitalist Accel Partners.
GERMANY - BayernLB backs temporary labour sector
Funds advised by BayernLB Private Equity have backed the management buyout of ISU Personaldienstleistungen GmbH. Together the financial investor and the company's CEO and management have acquired a 100% stake in the business.
UK - Terra Firma places bid for Thames Water
A Terra Firma-led consortium has placed its bid for Thames Water, the ТЃ7bn water company being sold by German power group RWE, according to the Financial Times.
UK - Apax nears final stages of its exit from The Stationery Office
The largest publisher in the UK by volume, which does much of the govenrment's printing, is the subject of an auction between three private equity bidders and two trade buyers, according to the Financial Times. The auction is now in its second round....
SWEDEN - 3i invests in HTC
3i has acquired around one-third of the shares in HTC Sweden AB through a capital injection of SEK 100m as well as a purchase of shares from existing shareholders. The new capital will fund further expansion of the company.
GERMANY - Rodenstock on the block
According to market sources, Permira is currently in the process of pricing eyeglass lens and frame specialist Rodenstock for a possible exit. Permira acquired a 49% stake in the company in 2003, raising its stake to 85% the following year.
GERMANY - Apax and Blackstone to sell Sulo
According to press reports, the largest deal ever to take place in Germany's waste disposal sector is in the pipeline. Berlin-based Alba is looking to buy its Hamburg-based competitor Sulo from Apax Partners and The Blackstone Group. No firm commitments...
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...
SPAIN - Ahorro Corporación acquires Axesor
The private equity fund Ahorro Corporación has agreed to buy Axesor, a company specialising in online corporate communication systems, from Capital Riesgo Internet. The final price is dependant on due diligence being carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers....
UK - Bridges Community Ventures invests in Chill Factor, Manchester
Bridges Community Ventures (Bridges), the UKтs community development venture capital company, has announced its investment in Chill Factor, North West Englandтs first indoor real snow Alpine village to be built in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Bridges...
ITALY - Permira to float Ferretti for the second time
Permira is looking to re-list its portfolio company Ferretti, a manufacturer of high performance luxury motor yachts, on the Milan Stock Exchange this year or early in 2007.
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...
BELGIUM - 3i acquires Abx Logistics
3i has recently completed the purchase of Abx Logistics Worldwide from Ferrovie Belghe (controlled by SNCB Holding). The consideration has not been disclosed, but reports in the Belgian press suggest 3i paid EUR 80m for the logistics company.
ITALY - Permira looking to sell Grandi Navi Veloci
According to financial sources in Milan, private equity giant Permira is in talks with fund manager Investitori Associati to sell its portfolio company Grandi Navi Veloci for EUR 750m. The purchase is currently going through the due diligence on the ferry...