Orthofix International is selling its Sports Medicine Business Unit, which operates as Breg, Inc, to Water Street Healthcare Partners for USD157.5 million. The deal is expected to close during Q2 2012. Net proceeds to Orthofix from the sale are anticipated to be approximately USD140 million, which will be used for the prepayment of debt as required by Orthofix’s existing credit agreement. The Company acquired its Sports Medicine business in 2003 with the purchase of Breg, which is headquartered in Carlsbad, CA. The Sports Medicine business provides a portfolio of bracing and cold therapy products to treat a variety of sports

Atlante Private Equity, a private equity fund managed by IMI Fondi Chiusi SGR, has acquired an interest in Svas Biosana, a company based in Somma Vesuviana (Naples) that has been operating for over 40 years in the medical devices and infusion solutions sector. Atlante has invested EUR6 million to acquire a minority interest in the company. “We are delighted to welcome the Atlante Private Equity Fund as one of our shareholders,” says Umberto Perillo, managing director of the Svas Biosana Group. “In such an unsettled economic environment, tackling the challenges posed by the market with the daily support of a

Voyage Care (Voyage), the UK specialist care provider for people with learning disabilities, brain injuries and other complex needs, has acquired Solor Care. Solor Care was previously owned by Barclays Ventures, Royal Bank of Scotland and Management. The acquisition makes Voyage the UK’s clear leader in the provision of learning disability services with 363 care homes and 2,369 beds.   The transaction is being funded with existing cash and a further injection of equity from Voyage’s majority shareholders, HgCapital and SL Capital Partners.   Like Voyage, Solor Care provides high quality personalised support and care for people with complex needs.

Health Safety and Engineering Consultants (HSEC), the engineering risk management consultancy, has undergone a GBP2.7m management buy-out backed by venture capitalist EV. Debt facilities were provided by The Co-operative Bank and included funding to support the company’s future growth.   EV has secured a substantial minority stake in the business, which is based in Ashby-de-la-Zouch and provides health and safety and risk management advice to clients across the UK.  Under its RHMA brand it provides forensic investigation and expert witness services dealing with personal injury, commercial liability and health and safety regulatory work to an increasing number of law and

AIRCOM International, a portfolio company of HIG Europe, the European arm of global private equity investment firm HIG Capital, announces the acquisition of Symena Software & Consulting GmbH (Symena). AIRCOM is the world’s largest independent provider of network planning management and optimisation tools and services to the mobile telecoms industry; its products are in use across more than 135 countries by over half the world’s mobile operators.   Symena develops market-leading software that helps to automate mobile networks. The company was founded in 2002 as a spin-off from Vienna University. It has enjoyed significant market traction with leading international operators,

Mid-market private equity firm, CapVest Limited is selling United Coffee (Cafe2011 Holdings Limited trading as United Coffee) to UCC Holdings Limited. United Coffee is the largest independent coffee business in Europe with leading market positions in the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain and a growing presence in France and Scandinavia. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter of this year. 

CapVest acquired United Coffee, then called Drie Mollen, in 2008 and set about implementing a strategy to transform the business into a truly pan-European leader in the coffee industry. In 2010, this culminated in the creation

Sterling Infosystems, Inc, a company owned by management and private equity firm Calera Capital, has acquired BackCheck.  BackCheck, a provider of background checking products and services, is the market leader in Canada and one of the largest providers in the United Kingdom. Sterling, already one of the largest background checking companies in the world, is now the largest within North America and is well positioned for future growth. William Greenblatt, Founder and CEO of New York City-headquartered Sterling, says: "BackCheck and Sterling will bring together the strengths of two organisations that are leaders in their respective markets. Both organisations have a

AllianceBernstein has closed its first private equity real estate fund, AllianceBernstein US Real Estate Partners, LP, with capital commitments of USD680 million.  Commitments to the Fund were received from several large, global institutional investors, including Temasek, the Singapore-based investment company, Alberta Teachers Retirement Fund, as well as institutions from the US, Hong Kong and Japan. In addition, numerous AllianceBernstein private clients and employees made commitments to the Fund. With additional co-investment capital from key strategic investors, the Fund could have approximately USD900 million of available equity. The Fund represents an important milestone for AllianceBernstein, which formed the Real Estate Group in September

Private equity firm North Castle Partners has completed an investment in Palladio Beauty Group, in partnership with CEO and owner Philip Solomon, further extending North Castle’s presence in the personal care sector.  The terms of the investment have not been disclosed. Based in Hollywood, Florida, Palladio Beauty Group is a leading marketer of premium colour cosmetics and skincare products sold primarily through the beauty supply and professional beauty channels. Palladio’s unique ability to deliver high-quality products, rapid innovation, and exceptional customer service, all at a value price point, is the foundation of the company’s success. Palladio enjoys strong brand loyalty among