Endurance Resources has secured a USD100m growth equity commitment from Lime Rock Partners, an energy-focused private equity firm. The capital will allow Endurance Resources to acquire producing and development assets currently operated by the Endurance team and to pursue additional opportunities in the Bone Spring oil play in Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico. Endurance Resources was founded by Don Ritter and Garrett Smith. With the initial investment of Lime Rock Partners’ commitment, Endurance Resources will continue the development of its producing oil properties, Bone Spring acreage, and other plays in the Delaware Basin. Ritter says: "Over the last five

The Riverside Company has invested in Bohemia Interactive Simulations, a developer and provider of games for training technology and interactive simulation systems sold to defence, emergency and mission-critical customers.  Bohemia supplies the US Department of Defence, UK Ministry of Defence, Australian Defence Force and a range of other international clients. Bohemia’s flagship product, Virtual Battle space 2 (VBS2), is the de-facto industry standard within its segment.   VBS2 is a fully interactive, three-dimensional training and simulation system suitable for a wide range of military or commercial training and experimentation purposes, particularly for tactical training and mission rehearsal scenarios.   Bohemia

European private equity firm Silverfleet Capital is to acquire A/S Cimbria, a manufacturer of equipment and processing lines for handling and processing of seed and grain, for DKK1,025m (EUR137m).  Completion, which is subject to obtaining clearance from the competition authorities, is expected to occur within the next few months.  The transaction is Silverfleet’s second investment announced within the past few weeks, having also completed the acquisition of La Fée Maraboutée, a French wholesaler and retailer of women’s fashion, for EUR65m on 14 December.   Cimbria, headquartered in Thisted in Denmark, is a global manufacturer of equipment used for either seed

North American deal flow reached a post-Lehman high in 2012, according to data from Preqin. This contributed to strong global deal flow recorded in 2012, with 2,866 buyout deals announced valued at USD254.6bn. This nears the global post-2008 highs of 2011, which witnessed USD264.8bn globally from 2,900 buyout deals. Compared to 2010, global deal flow in 2012 represents a 14 per cent increase in the number and a 15 per cent rise in the value of buyout deals. North America also witnessed a post-Lehman high in 2012 in relation to exits, with USD147.1 worth of exits taking place in the

Affiliates of middle-market private equity firm JF Lehman & Company have acquired IMECO of Iron Mountain, Missouri, in partnership with company management. IMECO is a domestic provider of turnkey marine electro-mechanical solutions for US government and commercial customers.  The company’s integrated maritime solutions include the design, engineering, planning, procurement and installation of HVAC, cargo handling, electric steering, propulsion and fire suppression systems for government and commercial vessels. Roy Arnold, president of IMECO, says: "JF Lehman & Company is an excellent partner for IMECO given the firm’s unique expertise and relationships as well as capital to accelerate our growth. We look

Riverside Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, has completed an investment in Stinger Medical, a provider of mobile clinical workstations and medical technologies. Riverside Partners’ investment was completed in partnership with the Stinger management team and the founder of the business. Headquartered in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Stinger Medical provides mobile medical workstations and related technologies for the acute care market. Stinger has a long history of innovation in the medical cart industry. Its team is dedicated to creating products that streamline workflow processes, reduce errors, enhance the quality of patient care and help providers comply with meaningful use guidelines. Stinger’s proprietary

An affiliate of global private equity investment firm HIG Capital has completed the recapitalisation of Big Tex Trailer Manufacturing. Headquartered in Mt Pleasant, Texas, Big Tex is a manufacturer of professional grade open utility, equipment, horse, livestock, and cargo trailers and truck beds in the US and Canada. Big Tex features a collection of prominent brands including Big Tex, CM, S&H, and Circle J. Roman Krislav (pictured), principal of HIG Capital, says: "We are very pleased to be partnering with Ricky Baker and the talented Big Tex team and look forward to the company’s next phase of growth. Big Tex

American Capital’s portfolio company Potpourri Group (PGI) has acquired Cuddledown, a multi-channel retailer of high-end bedding related products. PGI is a multi-brand direct marketer offering a broad product line of home decor, casual apparel, gifts and accessories through catalogues and the internet. "Cuddledown’s product offering and merchandising expertise in the high-end bedding market makes the company an excellent addition to PGI’s diverse product mix and will give PGI the opportunity to expand into the bedding product sector," says Brian Graff, American Capital senior vice president and senior managing director. American Capital first invested in PGI in 2005. Formed in 1998,

Private equity funds that closed in the final quarter of the year raised USD74.6bn, a similar amount to the USD75.0bn raised by funds that closed in the previous quarter, according to data from Preqin. However, Preqin expect the Q4 figure to increase by around 10 to 20 per cent and exceed the Q3 total as further information becomes available. Q2 was the strongest quarter of 2012 for fundraising, with 212 funds reaching a final close having collected USD90.2bn in commitments. The total capital raised by funds that closed in 2012 was USD311.7bn, slightly larger than the USD311.0bn raised by funds