BDA, along with its co-adviser in France, Easton Corporate Finance, has advised Aixam Mega’s shareholders, including the majority shareholder AXA Private Equity, on the divestment of Aixam Mega Group to Polaris Industries of the US, a manufacturer of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.
Despite a challenging economic environment in Europe, BDA and Easton mobilised their international teams to identify, access and motivate potential industrial buyers and thus offered Aixam’s shareholders a choice between several offers coming notably from North America and Asia.
For more than 25 years, Aixam Mega Group has been the European leader in the light quadricycle market with sales of about 8,000 vehicles and EUR90m in 2012. Created in 1983, the group distributes two brands: Aixam, dedicated to passenger quadricycles, and Mega, a commercial and electrical quadricycles range. The group benefits from a unique distribution network in Europe with up to 600 retailers both under Aixam and Mega brands in around 20 countries. Aixam and Mega vehicles are produced in two manufacturing facilities in France (Aix-les-Bains and Chanas).