News
FRANCE - Apax-owned Outremer Telecom to launch an IPO
Apax France's portfolio company Outremer Telecom is reportedly hoping to float on Euronext Paris.
EUROPE - EVCA publishes 2006 benchmarking study
EVCA has published its third annual benchmarking study, a piece of research which compares the tax and legal environments for private equity and venture capital across 25 European countries.
GERMANY – Access Capital Partners opens office in Munich
Paris-based private equity fund of funds specialist Access Capital Partners is opening a new office in Munich. Bernhard C Fink and Thomas Kohlmeyer who are joining the firm as partners will be heading the German office.
GERMANY - Advent to acquire the Oxo Group
Advent International has agreed to acquire Celanese Corporation’s “oxo” products and derivatives businesses for EUR 480m. The acquisition comprises the oxo chemicals and derivatives activities of Celanese and the European Oxo GmbH joint venture...
GERMANY – Macquarie raises its bid for Techem
Macquarie Infrastructure Fund II has increased its offer of EUR 44 to EUR 55 per share for the German utility billing specialist Techem AG. At the same time the financial investor increased its stake in the company by 8%, buying the additional shares...
BELGIUM / ITALY - Cognetas announces disposal of Azelis and Aliplast
Cognetas, formerly known as Electra Partners Europe, is reportedly selling two portfolio companies for a combined EUR 745m.
UK - Jefferies expands European team
Jefferies investment bank has hired senior investment professionals formerly of HSBC to the firm's transportation, oil service and infrastructure group.
BELGIUM / ITALY - 3i invests EUR 30m in Electrawinds
3i has announced that it has acquired a minority stake in Electrawinds, an independent renewable energy company, for EUR 30m.
FRANCE - PAI partners consider selling Saur
PAI partners is reportedly considering its options for the disposal of its portfolio company, water analysis business Saur.
SWEDEN - Segulah buys Isaberg Rapid
Segulah has acquired Isaberg Rapid, a wholly owned subsidiary of the listed investment company Industrivärden. Isaberg Rapid focuses on the manufacturing and marketing of staplers and staples, under the brand name Rapid. In 2005, it recorded revenues...
SPAIN - Parques Reunidos to go under the hammer next January
The sale process of Parques Reunidos may be reaching its final stage.
GERMANY – NORD Holding acquires Shipbuilding Division
Hannover-based NORD Holding Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft mbH has announced it is to acquire a 70% stake in R & M Ship Technologies Group from the Bilfinger Berger Group. The management team led by CEO Joachim Buttke will hold the balance.
UK - Accel, Amadeus and Index lead $26.5m fundraising for Artimi
Accel Partners, Amadeus Capital Partners and Index Ventures have led a $26.5m series-B investment in Artimi Inc, a developer of wireless semiconductors for portable certified wireless USB consumer electronics that is based in California, with research...
UK - Barclays Ventures backs £24m MBO of MSW Suspended Flooring
Barclays Ventures' Manchester team has backed the management buyout of MSW Suspended Flooring System Solutions Ltd (MSW). MSW is an installer of steel deck flooring systems into multi-rise new build projects, including the redevelopments at Twickenham...
AUSTRIA – KKR exits remaining stake in Zumtobel
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co has sold its remaining shares in Austrian lighting company Zumtobel Group. The financial investor held a 5.5% stake in Zumtobel after the company’s IPO on the Vienna Stock Exchange (ATX) on 12 May 2006. The transaction was...
SWEDEN - Risberg joins 3i from InnovationsKapital
3i has hired Jonas Risberg as partner to its global venture business. Risberg will be responsible for investing in IT and communications businesses in the Nordic region. He was previously partner at InnovationsKapital, where he focused on investing in...
PORTUGAL - BPI Private Equity backs professional cleaning business
BPI Private Equity has announced the purchase of a 30% shareholding in Grupo Serlima.
NL- LSP portfolio companies Kiadis and Celmed merge to create Kiadis Pharma
Life Sciences Partners (LSP) has announced that, following approval by the shareholders of both companies, the merger between its portfolio companies Kiadis and Celmed has completed. The merger creates Kiadis Pharma BV, an oncology drug development company...
SPAIN - Primmera acquires Recycling Hispania
Private equity firm Primmera Inversiones en Desarrollo has acquired 100% of Recycling Hispania for approximately EUR 6m. The company, with headquarters in Madrid, carries out glass cleaning and collection services and it is one of the main players in...
SPAIN - Doughty Hanson and Apax in competition for Avanza
Reports in the Spanish press suggest that the final dispute for Avanza is between Apax Partners and Doughty Hanson. The firms are said to have submitted the most attractive bids to acquire the majority of the shares in the transport group from its founders....
ITALY - Lay Line Genomics attracts private equity interest
Biopharmaceutical company Lay Line Genomics has reached an exclusive licensing agreement with Dutch biotech group PanGenetics for the development of the antibody Hu-alphaD11, a product with similar analgesic properties to those of morphine but less agressive...
UK - Cineworld calls off talks with VUE
It is understood that Cineworld has called off talks with VUE about a possible merger between the two private equity-backed companies in favour of an IPO. Cineworld, backed by Blackstone since 2005, has twice called off a flotation in the last year citing...
UK - Formal 3i bid for Countrywide due soon
It is understood that 3i will make a formal bid for listed estate agency company Countrywide in the coming days. The two have been engaged in talks since mid-October.
UK - Electra Quoted Management backs new extreme sports publisher
Electra Quoted Management has provided newco Factory Media with an initial investment of £3.85m to enable it to acquire three leading specialist extreme sports publishers in the 16-24 youth market; Action Sports Media, Permanent Publishing and 4130 Publishing....