H2 acquires Unipart Automotive

Anneken Tappe
04 October 2011

Tweet
Facebook
LinkedIn
Google plus
Send to

H2 Equity Partners has acquired a majority stake in British spare parts distribution business Unipart Automotive for an undisclosed amount.

Unipart Automotive was previously owned by the Unipart Group of Companies, which will continue to hold a 49.9% stake in the company. The remaining 50.1% will be owned by the Dutch GP.

The proprietary deal was motivated by portfolio synergies with H2's Dutch portfolio company Sator Holding. To increase synergy effects, H2 founded AP United to act as a buying group for Unipart and Sator.

The stakeholders aspire to make the business one of the leading automotive aftermarket companies in Europe.

Capital for the transaction was sourced from H2 Private Equity Fund IV.

Company
Unipart Automotive is a UK-based spare parts distribution business with approximately 200 branches across Britain. In 2010, sales amounted to more than £180m. Unipart employs 2,100 people.

The company will keep trading under the Unipart brand after the transaction.

People
H2 managing partner Patrick Kalverboer will join Unipart in the role of executive chairman. John Neill is Group CEO of the Unipart Group of Companies.