PE Tech Report

NEWSLETTER

Like this article?

Sign up to our free newsletter

ABN AMRO sells Kiwa to NPM Capital

Almost five years after ABN AMRO Participaties took over Kiwa from the Dutch water companies through the ACTA investment company, it is about to step down as major shareholder in favour of a secondary management buyout supported by NPM Capital.

 

The documents for the intended transaction will be signed on 8 July 2011, and It is expected that the new ownership structure will be effected early September, after a few issues, including the consent of the Netherlands Competition Authority NMa, have been dealt with. Shield Group Nederland is also an independent organisation that belongs to ACTA and is entering a new stage as a consortium of quality, inspection and testing companies.

During the recent period, Kiwa has become an internationally operating Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) company with the support of ABN AMRO Participaties. The portfolio was increased considerably, from quality assurance and certification for the traditional working areas in construction and utilities (water, gas/energy), to agriculture and food, education, care, safety & security and CSR. From a solid Dutch company Kiwa became a medium-sized European player with operations in more than 50 countries and is the only remaining Dutch certification company of this size.
Shield Group Nederland deals with safety and security in living and working surroundings and the environment. It inspects, analyses and monitors hazardous substances such as Legionella pneumophila and asbestos in the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain through the companies Fibrecount, Bioconsult and Oesterbaai.
Those involved want to use the intended change of shareholder to ensure that Kiwa can continue to exist as an autonomous TIC company and certification mark and has opportunities for further development. The same goes for Shield. NPM Capital has stated that it wants to support this ambition.
Kiwa’s CEO Paul Hesselink says: “In recent years, Kiwa has proved through autonomous growth and an active acquisition policy that it can grow rapidly and, at the same time, keep up the reliability and quality of its services. We have also become less dependent on the traditional Dutch territories by going global and expanding our portfolio to include certification for the agricultural and food sector, the care sector through Kiwa Prismant, education, safety and prevention and sustainable business practices. Furthermore, we now also perform some duties on behalf of the government, for the transport sector for example, in a slightly different and more efficient manner. This means that we have almost reached the critical volume for international independence in strongly competitive markets. In the next five years, Kiwa will focus on doubling its turnover and network. NPM Capital endorses and supports this strategy completely”.
NPM is pleased to be able to join Kiwa. Johan Terpstra (pictured), director of NPM, says: “NPM has always had an interest in helping strong Dutch companies expand internationally. Kiwa is such a solid company with great potential. We have confidence in this development and support it because the management of Kiwa does not only show that it has vision, but also entrepreneurship to realise this vision. Our investment will allow the current strategy to be continued in full, in order to let Kiwa become an independent, robust and versatile European high-quality company.”
Bob Kramer, director of ABN AMRO Participaties, says: “When we got to know Kiwa five years ago, we already saw the drive for further development. That went even faster than we had expected. What organisation can double its size in the current economic situation, while maintaining its own quality and principles? Late 2009, Shield also joined ACTA* as independent organisation. Now it is time for us as an investor to pass the torch. NPM is a sound successor as investor for the next stage. We have confidence in the combination and wish them lots of success!”

Like this article? Sign up to our free newsletter

FEATURED

MOST RECENT

FURTHER READING