Ardian is exploring a potential sale of Swissbit, the Swiss provider of industrial storage and data security products, in a process that could value the business at several billion dollars, according to a report by Bloomberg citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.
The private equity firm is working with UBS as it prepares to assess interest from prospective buyers, the people said. Swissbit generates around $250m of annual earnings, which could support a valuation running into the billions.
The review remains at an early stage and Ardian has yet to make a final decision on whether to proceed with a transaction, the sources said. The firm and UBS declined to comment.
Based in Bronschhofen, Switzerland, Swissbit develops storage, security and hardware products designed for industrial and technology infrastructure applications.
The company was established in 2001 following a management buyout of Siemens’ memory business. Unlike suppliers focused on consumer electronics, Swissbit specialises in components designed to function in demanding environments and mission-critical applications.
Swissbit operates a semiconductor and electronics manufacturing facility in Berlin and supplies products used across industrial and technology infrastructure markets.
Ardian acquired a majority stake in the business in 2020. A sale would give the firm an opportunity to crystallise value from the investment as demand for secure and resilient data infrastructure continues to grow.
