News
SWEDEN - FSV aquires 15 unlisted holdings from Småföretagsinvest
FSV V, managed by Four Seasons Venture, has acquired 15 unlisted holdings from Småföretagsinvest AB. The newly-acquired portfolio is industrial focused, including, Caretech, Copiax, Nimo-Verken, Klippan Automotive and Segre. The portfolio’s 2005 aggregate...
FRANCE - Cytheris raises EUR 24.3m second round
France-based Cytheris, a pharmaceutical company developing new therapies for the immune system, has raised EUR 24.3m from CDC Entreprises Innovation, ABN Amro Capital Life Sciences and its historical investors.
FRANCE - Banexi Capital Partenaires back secondary buyout of Bretèche
Banexi Capital Partenaires and Unigrains have backed the secondary buyout of Bretèche, a company which develops, manufactures and installs equipment for the food industry. The GPs took a majority stake in the business.
FRANCE - Buyout of PVC and aluminium window maker
Avenir Entreprises and Alliance Entreprendre have taken a 75% stake in Plastiferm, a manufacturer of PVC and aluminium windows, doors and shutters.
BELGIUM - Fortis Private Equity acquires Studio 100
Fortis Private Equity has announced that it has acquired a 33% stake in Studio 100, a producer of tv programmes and theatre shows for children. In addition, the Belgium-based company will receive a capital increase, understood to be in the region of EUR...
UK - BDO Stoy Hayward Corporate Finance strengthens its business services sector expertise
BDO Stoy Hayward is strengthening its corporate finance team with business services expertise. Director Christopher Clark joins the lead advisory team from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he has spent the last nine years advising numerous business services...
GERMANY - AXA Private Equity aquires 60% of KTP
AXA Private Equity has acquired KTP (Kunststoff Palettentechnik GmbH), a producer of plastic transport packaging solutions. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed.
GERMANY- Wilex to float mid-November
Munich-based biotechnology company Wilex is planning to float on the Frankfurt Prime Standard on 13 November. The listing, offering up to 4.6m shares, will be led by WestLB and Sal Oppenheim with an offer price to be announced on 6 November.
HUNGARY - Mid Europa and GMT to cash in on Invitel
Central and Eastern European investors Mid Europa Partners and GMT Communications Partners are to raise €118m through the partial sale of Hungarian telco Invitel back to management. The investors will each sell 14.2% of the company, leaving Mid Europa...
UK - Abingworth appoints John Heard as general counsel
Abingworth, the life sciences investment group, has announced the appointment of John Heard as general counsel. Heard will be based at the company’s headquarters in London. He joins Abingworth from Intel Capital, the venture capital investment arm of...
UK - 3i invests in Giraffe restaurant chain
3i has invested £10m for a minority stake in the fast growing, family friendly restaurant chain Giraffe, valuing the business at £24m.
UK - Morgan Crucible talks falter, again
In the summer industrial ceramics and defence material maker Morgan Crucible was reported to have received a take-over approach from German trade buyer SGL Carbone. This news was followed by reports that Credit Suisse's private equity arm DLJ Merchant...
GERMANY - 3i reinforces infrastructure team
3i has strengthened its German infrastructure team with the appointment of Uwe Danziger. A chartered accountant and qualified banking clerk, Danziger will lead 3i's German infrastructure activities.
FINLAND/SWEDEN - Biolin acquires KSV Instruments and Integration Diagnostics
Biolin has purchased life sciences companies KSV Instruments in Finland and Integration Diagnostics (IDL) in Sweden. The value of the KSV Instruments deal is EUR 1.5m and an additional payment based on the company's results going forward. Biolin already...
NORWAY - Altor buys Helly Hansen
Altor Fund II is to acquire Norwegian Helly Hansen, a supplier of technical apparel and footwear, from Investcorp for an undisclosed sum.
SWITZERLAND - Santhera to list on Swiss Stock Exchange
Swiss speciality pharmaceuticals firm Santhera has announced that it will list up to 983,859 shares on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Assuming that the IPO is successful this will raise approximately SFr 83.6m-SFr 98.4m, excluding an over-allotment option....
FRANCE - KKR invests in French flooring products business
KKR has announced it has taken a 50% stake in SIF, the holding company which owns a majority of Tarkett, a flooring products business present in over 100 countries.
UK - YFM invests £1.2m in Blackburn-based manufacturer
YFM Private Equity has invested in specialist manufacturer and supplier of educational and height adjustable furniture, Vari-Tech Ltd. The £1.2m total funding round also included contributions from the Northwest Regional Development Agency.
UK - Hedge fund Boussard & Gavaudan takes stake in Gondola
Boussard & Gavaudan, a hedge fund with a track record of activism, is believed to have built up a 20% stake in Gondola Holdings, the restaurant operator which is the subject of a £560m take-private bid from Cinven.
UK - Bank of Scotland appoints Mark Hammond as head of Integrated Finance
Bank of Scotland Corporate has appointed Mark Hammond as head of Integrated Finance. He is responsible for over 70 experienced buyout transactors based in 7 offices throughout the UK and a portfolio of over 50 investments. Hammond takes over from Donald...
DENMARK - Nordic Capital's Nycomed commences bank syndication process
Nycomed has commenced the syndication of its new EUR 5.7bn senior credit facilities, the proceeds of which will be used to finance the acquisition of ALTANA Pharma and to refinance existing debt. Nycomed currently intends to launch tender offers later...
FRANCE - IDI poaches buyout giants
Two directors from the large-cap private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners are now to head the LBO team of small-cap independent listed investor IDI.
UK - London Seed Capital leads £500,000 investment in Chameleon BioSurfaces
Chameleon BioSurfaces, the polymer coatings company has secured £500,000 of seed funding in an investment round led by London Seed Capital in conjunction with the London Business Angel Network and the London Business Angel EIS Tracker Fund III. Other...
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity takes majority stake in Gerflor
AXA has announced it has signed an agreement to take a majority stake in vinyl flooring business Gerflor. This tertiary buyout sees the exit of PAI partners and CDC Entreprises, and a renewed comittment from Natexis industrie and ICG, who re-invest in...