Brille24, a German online retailer for prescription eyeglasses, has closed an equity financing deal through its holding Tejado with growth investment firm TIME. The company signed a financing deal with growth investment firm TIME for an amount of up to EUR12m, of which EUR7m is invested as of today. Matthias

A fund managed by Blackstone on behalf of its private equity investors, Blackstone Capital Partners V, is to acquire GCA Services Group, a US facility services company, from Nautic Partners and other minority shareholders.   Robert Norton, chairman, president and chief executive of GCA Services Group, says: “This transaction is a

Russian Direct Investment Fund’s Russia-China Investment Fund (RCIF) has reached a preliminary agreement to become a shareholder of Russia Forest Products (RFP), Russia’s second-largest forestry company. RCIF’s investment will fund the company’s move up the value chain from producing primarily raw logs to higher value added products like veneer and

Mid-market private equity firm GI Partners has sold its portfolio company, PC Helps Support, to Baird Capital Partners (BCP), the US-based buyout fund of Baird Private Equity. The sale of PC Helps generated a return of approximately five times invested capital to limited partners of GI Partners Fund II. PC

Palatine Private Equity’s portfolio company, MoneyPlus Group (MPG), has completed the acquisition of debt management company Debt Free Me for an undisclosed sum.   Debt Free Me, based in Blackburn, UK, provides a range of debt management solutions to consumers and employs 30 people. The business will continue to trade

Huron Capital Partners has recapitalised Ronnoco Holdings in a transaction marking the 60th investment overall for Huron.  Founded in 1904 and based in St Louis, Missouri, Ronnoco manufactures and distributes premium quality coffee, tea and related products sold to convenience stores, foodservice outlets and offices throughout the central US.  Huron,

Almaz Capital Partners’ managing partner and co-founder Peter Loukianoff has sold his managing interest in the firm. Loukianoff (pictured), who is leaving to pursue new opportunities, has retained a passive minority interest in the firm. Loukianoff and Alexander Galitsky established Almaz Capital in 2007.  Loukianoff will continue to participate in

Mid-market private equity firm Palamon Capital Partners has agreed the sale of Espresso House to Herkules Private Equity III, a Norwegian private equity fund.  The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.   In 2005, Palamon identified a gap in the Nordic markets for a quality, branded coffee bar

Law firm Eversheds has advised Graphite Capital on backing the management buy-out of Explore Learning, a provider of after school tuition at primary school level.  Explore Learning has 62 tuition centres across the UK, providing key skills learning in mathematics and English to children of all abilities. By acquiring a

European private equity firm Cinven has completed its acquisition of Mercury Pharma, the international speciality pharmaceutical company, for an enterprise value of GBP465m. The acquisition was supported by debt financing provided by four banks: Jefferies, HSBC, Lloyds Bank and Mizuho.   Cinven’s healthcare team identified niche and branded pharmaceuticals as