Maranon Capital has made an investment in Performance Health and Wellness Holdings to support the acquisition of the business by Gridiron Capital and Performance Health’s management team. Maranon arranged and led a syndicate that provided mezzanine debt and an equity co-investment. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Performance Health is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of branded rehabilitation and wellness products. The company’s products include a line of topical analgesics and a broad range of rehabilitation and wellness products including progressive resistance bands and tubing, exercise balls, hand exercisers, stability trainers and a number of other specialty products. In addition, the company

Preqin’s initial public offering pipeline data reveals that there are currently 42 private equity and venture capital-backed companies globally set to list in the coming weeks, seeking to raise USD8.4bn in public offerings.   Twenty-four of these companies are buyout-backed, and a further 18 VC-backed companies have currently filed for an IPO. In addition, as of 15 October, 19 PE-and VC-backed companies have completed their IPOs or follow-on share sales during the month, raising USD4bn in their offerings. This is in marked contrast to the whole of Q3 2012, when USD6.5bn was raised in public offerings during the whole quarter, indicating

Funds advised by European private equity fund PAI Partners are to purchase a 78.39 per cent stake in Marcolin, an Italian eyewear manufacturer, at a price of EUR4.25 per share from family and private owners in a proprietary primary LBO transaction in one of its core investment sectors. On completion, PAI Partners will promote a mandatory public tender offer for the remaining equity, which is publicly traded, at EUR4.25 per share, with the aim of de-listing the company. The transaction is expected to close in late November. Marcolin is one of the largest and fastest growing eyewear manufacturers in Italy

Private equity firm Advent International is to acquire KMD, a Danish IT services and software company, from EQT and ATP. Advent’s investment is subject to customary regulatory approval and is expected to complete by year-end.   Founded in 1972, the company has a long track record as a trusted partner to the Danish public sector. KMD is a market leader in software, services, and business process solutions for the delivery of mission critical public sector services in Denmark. KMD’s technology and service platform administers and processes welfare benefits, private and public sector salaries, and local government finances.   KMD has

Ombu Group, a new UK investment company focused on backing and building UK technology companies, has invested a further GBP5m into Open Energi. This increases Ombu’s total commitment of growth capital into the company to GBP9m and will enable Open Energi to expand its business in the UK and overseas.   Open Energi is a provider of energy demand management solutions. It works closely with energy users to unlock new revenues through a smart approach to managing their energy loads. The company’s solution includes Open Dynamic Demand, an energy demand management solution that reacts instantaneously to second-by-second changes in the

HIG Capital’s European affiliate, HIG Europe, is to acquire shares representing 49.99 per cent of the capital of Vértice 360 Servicios Audiovisuales (VSA) – until now fully owned by Vértice 360º – for a total of EUR16m. The investment will take place through a capital increase, following which the remaining 50.01 per cent of the company’s capital will continue to be held by Vértice 360º. VSA provides technical services and equipment for audiovisual production, post-production and advertising, broadcasting television channels and live events. VSA is part of Vértice 360º, one of the main audiovisual groups in the Spanish-speaking market, which

European private equity firm Cinven has acquired the Amdipharm Group, the family-owned international niche pharmaceuticals business, for a total consideration of GBP367m. Amdipharm will operate initially as a standalone business but, over time, Cinven will look to merge Amdipharm with its existing portfolio company, Mercury Pharma, which it acquired in September 2012. Mercury and Amdipharm each market mature, niche pharmaceuticals, both branded and unbranded. The businesses are highly complementary as Mercury’s customer base is largely UK focused, whereas Amdipharm has a significantly greater international business, with its products sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Amdipharm was founded by Vijay and

Branding Brand, a mobile commerce platform used by retailers such as American Eagle Outfitters, Costco, Ralph Lauren and Sephora, has secured USD7.5m in series A funding led by Insight Venture Partners, with CrunchFund and Eastern Advisors also participating. Branding Brand will use the investment to scale customer acquisition, technology development, and operations. The round marks Branding Brand’s first outside investment. Founded in 2008 by three friends from Carnegie Mellon University, the company launched a mobile platform at the end of 2009 to extend brands into optimised experiences for smartphones, tablets, and in-store. It is now the largest m-commerce provider to