News
FRANCE - Venture syndicate puts up EUR 16.4m for Varioptics
Sofinnova partners and Polytechnos Venture Partners are joined by new investors Iris Capital, Xange and Delphis in the 3rd round financing of Varioptics, a liquid lens company, in a deal worth EUR 16.4m.
GERMANY - BayBG invests in leucemia research lab
BayBG has taken a 'stille Beteiligung' position in MLL Münchner Leukämielabor GmbH, Munich. The reason for the investment was the spinout of the laboratory realised by doctors and biologists working at the Munich university clinic. The volume of the...
UK - Dow Schofield Watts appoints new partner
Craig Richardson has joined Dow Schofield Watts, the corporate finance house founded three years ago, as its seventh partner.
UK - LGV appoints Casey to chair Integrated Dental Holdings
Gavin Casey, the former CEO of the London Stock Exchange, has been appointed chairman of Integrated Dental Holdings.
SPAIN - Diana Capital invests EUR 10.5m in Lumelco
Diana Capital I, the private equity fund managed by Diana Capital, has acquired 23% of Lumelco, a distributor of air conditioning systems. The total value of the investment was EUR 10.5m. The funding will be used to help the expansion of the company in...
SPAIN - 3i exits Faus Group
3i in Spain has sold its 38% shareholding in Faus Group, a manufacturer of laminated flooring and other components for the building and design industries. The total value of the transaction has not been disclosed but the IRR for 3i after nine years is...
NORWAY - VC-backed Revolt Technology appoints Ram Malhotra as CEO
Battery technology company Revolt Technology AS has appointed Ram Malhotra as CEO. Previously, Malhotra was COO and vice president of Mikron AG, where he was directing the components business in Asia and managing the joint ventures in China and Malaysia.
GERMANY - EQUITA acquires Barat Carbide and Barat Ceramics
In a joint deal with the company management, Equita Fonds 3 has acquired Boart Longyear HMSR and Boart Ceramics GmbH. The vendor, Longyear Holdings Inc, is based in Salt Lake City. The two companies, Hard Materials and Softrock Tools (HMSR) and Boart...
UK - Ariadne Capital appoints John O’Connell as chairman
Investment and advisory firm Ariadne Capital has appointed John O’Connell, the founder of software company Staffware Plc, as its new chairman.
UK - Standard Life takes award
Global fund manager Standard Life has won the 'Best Private Equity Trust' in the Investment Trust Magazine Awards for the performance of its Life European Private Equity Trust (SLEPET) last year.
UK - LGV backs Integrated Dental Holdings
Legal & General Ventures (LGV) has acquired a significant shareholding in Integrated Dental Holdings, the UK’s largest owner of dental practices, for an undisclosed amount.
UK - New appointments at Livingstone Guarantee
Phillip McCreanor has joined Livingstone Guarantee as a director, having previously led Deloitte’s industrial products team globally and having led transactions for corporate and private equity clients in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Australasia.
GERMANY - EQT buys Kabel Baden-Württemberg
EQT has signed an agreement with funds advised by Blackstone and CDPQ to acquire 100 % of Kabel Baden-Württemberg GmbH & Co (Kabel BW). EQT intends to continue supporting Kabel BW’s expansion and move into triple play.
SPAIN - Nmás1 invests in vending machine operator
Dinamia Capital Privado and Nmás1 Private Equity Fund have acquired 100% of Servicio de Venta Automática S.A. (Serventa) in a deal valued at around EUR 30m. The company was purchased from Urex Inversions S.A., which forms part of Altadis. The transaction...
SPAIN - Adara and MCI invest EUR 2.5m in Polymita Technologies
Polymita Technologies, a Spanish software provider of business process management (BPM), portals and enterprise content management platforms (ECM), has announced a €2.5m joint investment in the organisation made by venture capital companies Adara Ventures...
UK - Baker Tilly voted AIM accountant of the year
Baker Tilly has beaten Ernst and Young, Grant Thornton, Kingston Smith and KPMG to win AIM accountant of the year for the fourth consecutive year at the Growth Company Awards 2006.
DENMARK - Chempaq receives CONNECT Denmark Award 2006
Chempaq A/S has been awarded the CONNECT Denmark Award 2006 for best Springboard business from 2000 to 2004 at CONNECT Denmark’s event in Valby. The decision was based on Chempaq’s strong and unique technology. ‘Chempaq is a business that the jury...
SWEDEN - FSN Capital acquires Aura Group from Bridgepoint
Aura, the Swedish long life lighting manufacturer, has been sold by Bridgepoint to FSN Capital Partners AS. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
UK - Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance backs Interface UK
The West Yorkshire-based international contract textile operations of Interface Fabrics has announced that it is to leave US parent Interface, Inc. in a management buyout backed by Bank of Scotland Corporate. The £16m deal, effective from 22 April, will...
UK - Rutland Partners sells Uskmouth Power Station
Rutland Partners has agreed the sale of its entire interest in Carron Energy Ltd, the owner of Uskmouth Power Station to a specially-formed company backed by Deutsche Bank AG and funds under the management of Strategic Value Partners and Trafalgar Asset...
UK - South East Growth Fund backs Synamed MBO
SEGF has invested £250,000 to fund the management buyout and recapitalisation of Synermed Europe Ltd, from its Canadian based parent Synermed International. Senior debt and working capital facilities were provided by HSBC.
UK - BC Partners and Apax involved in £2.2bn healthcare deal
Network Healthcare Holdings (Netcare) has announced its acquisition of a controlling interest in leading UK private hospital group, General Healthcare Group Limited (HG), from BC Partners. Netcare is supported by a consortium of investors including Apax...
SPAIN - Portugal’s Ibersol enters battle for Telepizza
The battle for Spanish restaurant chain Telepizza has become a three-way fight after Portuguese rival Grupo Ibersol offered EUR 2.25 per share yesterday. Despite being more than Permira’s bid, the Ibersol offer price is, however, less than that put...
UK - 3i invests in Arabian Gulf
3i has announced that it is committing $15m to Ithmar Capital, the Gulf-based private equity firm, which is raising its second fund, Ithmar Fund II, expected to reach USD $250m.