Deals
International investment bank Altium has completed a trio of deals in the UK, bringing its total for the year so far to 38.
In Q4 2013, the Manchester headquartered firm advised on deals including:
· The sale of online retailer ActivInstinct to JD Sports, to help the business extend its e-commerce and outdoor performance operations;
· The sale of Crewe-based healthcare provider Baywater Healthcare to mid-market private equity group Duke Street, from US-listed Air Products; and
· The sale of oil and gas recruitment company Mentor IMC Group to European-based VINCI Energies, to strengthen the firm’s network of contacts in
Sovereign Capital portfolio company Kindertons has acquired Plantec Holdings in its first acquisition since being backed by Sovereign in October this year.
Plantec is a fully outsourced claims solution provider to the motor insurance industry.
Plantec manages c.15,000 claims each year including both car and motorcycle claims. Specialising in motorcycles, the company’s 64 staff process c.6,000 non-fault motorcycle claims and work with insurers in providing hire motorcycles to these riders. Plantec provides a hire solution from its fleet of 400 bikes, all being major recognised brands, and a high quality repair solution for customer bikes. Based in Dudley and
RLJ Equity Partners has acquired Naylor, a provider of outsourced business and communications services for the North American association marketplace.
Founded in 1969, Naylor provides customised communications and business services that include a full suite of print and digital media, event management, exchange event and related marketing and business services for over 450 associations in the US and Canada.
Naylor's services help associations communicate with members, build their brands, and generate non-dues revenue.
"Naylor is the leading brand in the outsourced communications and business services marketplace for associations in North America," says Jerry L Johnson, managing director of
International trust, fund and corporate service provider First Names Group has completed a transaction to purchase Citadel Services in Luxembourg.
The acquisition of Citadel is First Names Group’s third acquisition this year and will provide the group with a much sought after presence in Luxembourg.
Earlier this year First Names Group bought international fund business Moore and trust and corporate service provider Basel, providing it with a greater global presence and increased headcount to 460 “First Names” across nine locations.
Established in 1984, Citadel is an administration organisation offering corporate services from consultancy to accounting. It covers aspects
BDO, the accountancy and business advisory firm, has released data that shows a strong M&A pipeline heading into 2014.
Using an analysis of its own deal leads, it has found that a ‘perfect storm’ has developed on the back of growing demand from buyers – particularly from overseas looking to invest in UK companies, an increasing availability of funding for deals and a more buoyant economy that is now even reaching sectors hit very badly by the previous recession such as building products.
The regional spread of lead volumes has changed dramatically in 2013, where London’s dominance has been
American Capital Energy & Infrastructure (ACEI) has partnered with a veteran management team to create BMR Energy, an energy company focused on developing and investing in power and related energy infrastructure throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Led by Bruce Levy as chief executive officer, BMR's management team has over 60 years of collective experience in global energy project development, acquisition and operations.
Levy has held key executive positions in the US and international energy sectors for the past 30 years, most recently as president and CEO of International Power North America (now part of GDF SUEZ Energy International).
Clearwater Corporate Finance completed 28 deals with a total value of over GBP750m in 2013 – more than a 50 per cent increase on 2012.
The Manchester-based firm celebrated its 10th anniversary this year and all of the sector groups have seen significant improvements in business levels.
Key deals advised on by Clearwater during 2013 include:
• The sale of Gill Marine, a technical clothing brand, to YFM Equity Partners;
• The refinancing of holiday park business Park Resorts and the subsequent acquisition of South Lakeland Parks;
• LDC’s private equity investment in clothing brand Joules;
• The sale of software business CSC to US-based Trimble Navigation;
• The sale of
Ardian and Resource Partners have increased their joint investment in SIA Baltcom TV, Latvia’s largest cable television operator, by completing the buyout of a minority shareholder.
This transaction strengthens Ardian’s and Resource Partners’ strategic partnership, having initially invested in Baltcom in May 2011.
Baltcom TV SIA was founded in 1991. It is one of the leading telecommunication companies in Latvia, offering analogue and interactive digital TV, high-speed internet and fixed telephony services and, since August 2013, electric energy retail distribution for households.
Ardian and Resource Partners have considerable experience in investing in telecommunication and cable television companies, collectively
Mid-market private equity provider LDC has completed an investment to support the GBP17.8m management buyout of GMG Property Services, a UK provider of software services to estate agents.
The business will be rebranded the Property Software Group.
LDC will take a significant stake in the business, investing alongside the incumbent management team led by chief executive Mark Goddard.
Established in 2007, GMG Property Services is the UK’s largest supplier of software, technology and design solutions to the property industry. Its circa 6,700 strong branches comprises some of the UK’s leading residential sales agents, residential letting agents and managers
ARX Equity Partners has fully exited its investment in Polish plastics processor, Ergis Eurofilms, generating an overall internal rate of return of over 33 per cent and 4.5 cash-on-cash multiple.
The ARX exit was executed via a series of block trades to investors on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in December 2013, which followed the partial realisation of the Ergis investment in 2006.
ARX originally acquired a majority shareholding in the packaging company in 2003 in a leveraged management buyout transaction in partnership with Ergis managers Tadeusz Nowicki and Marek Gorski. Several value-creation initiatives have been implemented during the period
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