News
UK - Bank of Scotland Corporate backs MBO of VUE
Vue Entertainment, the UK's leading developer and operator of state-of-the-art cinemas, was yesterday sold by its controlling private equity shareholders to a management buyout team in partnership with Bank of Scotland Corporate, through its Integrated...
FRANCE - Acto acquires warehouse storage company
Acto has backed the LBO of Locabri, for an undisclosed sum.
ITALY - Clessidra acquires Fratelli Elia
The fund Clessidra has recently purchased Fratelli Elia from the brothers Maurizio and Raffaele Elia for an undisclosed sum, according to the news agency Radiocor.
NORWAY - Altor acquires 70% of Scandpower
Altor has acquired 70% of Scandpower Petroleum Technology Holding ASA (SPT). The current owners, led by HitecVision Private Equity, will have a 30% ownership in the company on a pro-rata basis.
GERMANY - Texas Pacific Group to bridge Freenet cashflow block
According to a report in German financial newspaper Handelsblatt, Freenet might receive financial support for its tender for AOL Deutschland's internet access business from Texas Pacific Group. Freenet, which is currently in the process of merging with...
UK - HgCapital floats ClinPhone
ClinPhone, the supplier of technology solutions to the clinical trials industry, has floated on the London Stock exchange representing a partial exit for HgCapital.
UK - LDC backs the Apollo Group
LDC has backed the management buyout of Apollo Group Holdings, one of the UKтs fastest growing providers of property refurbishment services to local authorities, for an undisclosed sum. The investment has enabled the Waltham Abbey-based firm to buy out...
FINLAND - Arcapita buys Paroc from BA Capital Partners
BA Capital Partners Europe has agreed to sell Paroc Holding Sverige AB and its subsidiaries to affiliates of Arcapita Limited. The transaction value is approximately EUR 620m and closing is expected to occur in August 2006.
SPAIN - Gala Capital buys 58% of Grupo Page
According to reports in the Spanish press, the private equity firm Gala Capital has purchased 58% of the technology group Page for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Bank of Ireland and Paul Capital Partners launch fund-of-funds
Bank of Ireland has established a joint venture with Paul Capital Partners (PCP), a leading US private equity specialist, to provide private equity fund-of-funds products and advisory services to institutional and other investors worldwide. The new joint...
UK - CriticalBlue raises $3.7m second round funding
CriticalBlue, a provider of tools for accelerating software in embedded microprocessor applications has announced the closure of its B round financing. The funding round was led by Herald Ventures and was fully supported by existing investors Pentech...
SPAIN - GED set to exit Continental Hotels in Bucarest
The Spanish private equity firm GED will exit the Romanian chain Continental Hotels via a listing on the Bucarest Stock Exchange in July. GED will probably list all of its 28% stake in the company. The remaining shares are held by founding familiy, Enache,...
POLAND - Bankier SA lists on Warsaw Stock Exchange
Polish finance portal Banker SA, a bmp portfolio company in which its managed fund CEEV GmbH holds a stake, listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange today. The opening price was PLN 8.25 per share, 10% over the issue price of PLN 7.50.
FRANCE - Industri Kapital acquires French laboratories in tertiary buyout
Industri Kapital has acquired a majority stake of Group Cerba from Astorg Partners for about EUR 160m. To secure this buyout, the European private equity firm defeated APAX Partners, 3i and PPM Capital in a competitive auction. The deal should be completed...
DENMARK - Nordic Biotech and Bioscience Managers complete $25m portfolio deal
Bioscience Managers Limited (BML), a London-based venture capital firm, has acquired shareholdings in a number of clinical stage portfolio companies from the Nordic Biotech K/S fund. The value of the deal is $25m.
UK - Wound Solutions receives £5m funding from Hotbed and Octopus
A syndicate of investors, including Hotbed and Octopus Bioscience VCT have provided ТЃ5m funding to Wound Solutions.
UK - Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone court iSoft
The struggling healthcare software company, iSoft, is thought to be latest company to be weighed up by private equity with Permira, Carlyle and Blackstone all reported to be interested according to the Observer.
UK - Further activity in caravan park industry as LGV looks to buy South Lakeland
South Lakeland Caravans is reported by the Sunday Times to be in advanced talks with Legal & General Ventures (LGV).
GERMANY - Triton acquires stake in Dematic
Triton, together with the company's management, has taken over shares previously held by Siemens AG in Dematic GmbH & Co. KG. The parties have agreed not to disclose details of the transaction. Dematic employs around 4,000 people and achieved revenues...
UK - Hedge fund threatens 3i's Mayborn acquisition
The hedge fund, Trafalgar Asset Managers, is threatening to block 3i's take-private of Mayborn Plc. Despite the deal having won approval from the Mayborn board and its largest shareholder, Trafalgar believes the 500p a share offer undervalues the company....
UK - Macquarie-3i consortium to outbid Goldman Sachs for ABP
It is reported in today's Times that the consortium led by Macquarie is likely to offer ТЃ2.7bn for Associated British Ports (ABP), outbidding the Goldman Sachs consortium's ТЃ2.53bn offer.
UK - Terra Firma to bring energy business to the stock market with Alan Lovell's help
Terra Firma is understood to have hired Alan Lovell, the CEO of Jarvis who has overseen a period of restructuring of the group, according to yesterday's Sunday Times.
UK - Apax assess All3Media
All3Media, the television production company formed by three former ITV executives, is being assessed by Greg Dyke who is a consultant to Apax, according to The Times today.
SWEDEN - 3i sells its stake in Atea
3i has sold its shareholding in Atea Holding AB, a supplier of IT infrastructure, to Ementor ASA. Ementor buys the entire company for SEK 1,050m.