Monthly Archives: May 2019

Marlin Announces Strategic Minority Investment by Blackstone

Marlin

LOS ANGELES and LONDON, May 16, 2019 – Marlin Equity Partners, a global investment firm, today announced that Blackstone’s (NYSE: BX) Strategic Capital Group has made a passive, minority investment in the firm.

Blackstone’s Strategic Capital Group is part of Blackstone Alternative Asset Management (BAAM) and specializes in minority partnerships with leading alternative asset managers. This investment will allow Marlin to continue to invest in and further expand its global investment platform, strengthen the commitment to and alignment with its diversified investor base, and leverage the global resources and capabilities of Blackstone.

Since its inception in 2005, Marlin has rapidly grown to become a leading global investment firm with over $6.7 billion of capital under management and completed more than 140 transactions across its core targeted industries, including software, technology, healthcare IT, tech-enabled services and industrial technology.

“This investment by Blackstone further validates the best-in-class organization we have built and the true value proposition of our relationship-driven approach to investing,” said David McGovern, Founder and CEO of Marlin. “We are excited to welcome Blackstone as a strategic partner, and look forward to leveraging their expertise and extensive breadth of resources to continue to invest in and position our global platform for long-term success.”

“Marlin’s approach to investing places a heavy focus on partnering with management teams to support businesses, enhance operations and accelerate growth,” said Scott Soussa, Head of BAAM’s Strategic Capital Group. “This emphasis on long-term value creation across its underlying companies positions Marlin for continued success and we are excited to partner with them.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Evercore acted as financial advisor to Marlin Equity. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Marlin Equity and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett served as legal counsel to Blackstone.

About Marlin Equity Partners
Marlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm with over $6.7 billion of capital under management. The firm is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources significantly strengthen a company’s outlook and enhance value. Since its inception, Marlin, through its group of funds and related companies, has successfully completed over 140 acquisitions. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with an additional office in London. For more information, please visit www.marlinequity.com.

About Blackstone Alternative Asset Management
Blackstone Alternative Asset Management (BAAM®), Blackstone’s Hedge Fund Solutions platform, is the world’s largest discretionary investor in hedge funds, with approximately $80 billion in assets under management. BAAM manages a diversified set of businesses including a customized solutions business, a special situations platform, a hedge fund seeding business, an open-ended mutual fund platform and a business that purchases stakes in established alternative asset managers. In all of BAAM’s business lines, it carefully selects and partners with fund managers across a variety of asset classes and strategies to create solutions for its investors. Through its sharp focus on clients’ goals, a rigorous due-diligence process and access to Blackstone’s global insights, BAAM strives to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns across market cycles while preserving capital during stressed market environments.

Media Inquiries
Marlin Equity Partners
Peter Spasov
Phone: +1 310-364-0100
Email: pspasov@marlinequity.com

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Golden Gate Capital to sell Arrmaz to Arkema Group

Golden Gate Capital

SAN FRANCISCO – May 16, 2019 – Golden Gate Capital, a leading private equity investment firm, today announced that ArrMaz, a global leader in specialty chemicals, has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Arkema Group (“Arkema”) (PA:AKE) for approximately $570 million. Arkema is a global manufacturer of specialty chemicals and advanced materials used across a range of industries. ArrMaz’s management team, led by Chief Executive Officer Dave Keselica, will continue to lead ArrMaz after the transaction is completed.

ArrMaz is a trusted partner to the mining, crop nutrients, asphalt paving, and other growing industries worldwide, providing chemical process aids and additives formulated to improve their customers’ products and processes. For more than 50 years, ArrMaz has delivered customized chemical solutions, engineered application systems, expert technical and customer support, and superior responsiveness.

Dave Keselica said, “We are excited to join forces with Arkema after a successful long-term partnership with Golden Gate Capital. Under their ownership, we expanded and improved the technical performance of our core product suite, entered attractive new markets such as lithium flotation and proppant dust control, and expanded our research and development capabilities and facilities worldwide. We look forward to continuing to provide our customers with the highest quality chemical solutions and unrivaled end-to-end support as we enter this next chapter of our growth.”

Dave Thomas, Managing Director at Golden Gate Capital, said, “We thank Dave Keselica and the entire ArrMaz team for a fantastic partnership over the past six years. During that time, ArrMaz significantly expanded its global footprint, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, through acquisitions and new plant openings, while accelerating innovation across their markets. We are confident that Arkema will be a great partner for ArrMaz’s future growth.”

The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions.

Lazard Middle Market and Moelis & Company acted as financial advisors to ArrMaz, and Nob Hill Law Group and Kirkland & Ellis served as legal advisors to Golden Gate Capital and ArrMaz. The Valence Group served as financial advisor to Arkema.

About ArrMaz

ArrMaz is a global leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the mining, crop nutrients, asphalt paving, and other growing industries worldwide. Since 1967, ArrMaz has formulated chemical process aids and additives to optimize our customers’ process performance and product quality. With headquarters in Mulberry, Florida and multiple locations across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, ArrMaz serves customers globally. For more information about our company and products, visit us online at ArrMaz.com.

About Golden Gate Capital

Golden Gate Capital is a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm with over $15 billion of capital under management. The principals of Golden Gate Capital have a long and successful history of investing across a wide range of industries and transaction types, including going-privates, corporate divestitures, and recapitalizations, as well as debt and public equity investments. Notable investments sponsored by Golden Gate Capital include Active Minerals, U.S. Silica, EP Minerals, ANGUS, Cole-Parmer and Vantage Elevator Solutions. For more information, visit www.goldengatecap.com.

Contacts
Media
Sard Verbinnen & Co
Jenny Gore/Hayley Cook
312-895-4700/212-687-8080
GoldenGate-SVC@sardverb.com

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KKR Prices €650,000,000 of Senior Notes

KKR

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–May 15, 2019– KKR & Co. Inc. (“KKR”) (NYSE:KKR) today announced that it has priced an offering of €650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 1.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “notes”) issued by KKR Group Finance Co.V LLC, its indirect subsidiary. The notes are to be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by KKR & Co. Inc. and its subsidiaries, KKR Management Holdings L.P., KKR Fund Holdings L.P. and KKR International Holdings L.P. KKR intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes for general corporate purposes, including to fund potential acquisitions and investments in Europe.

The notes were offered to buyers outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S and to qualified institutional buyers in the United States pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state laws.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase the notes or any other securities, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This press release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, estimates, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements are based on KKR’s beliefs, assumptions and expectations, taking into account all information currently available to it. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to KKR or are within its control. If a change occurs, KKR’s business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations, including but not limited to dividends, tax assets, tax liabilities, assets under management, fee paying assets under management, capital invested, syndicated capital, uncalled commitments, after-tax distributable earnings, fee related earnings, segment EBITDA, core interest expense, cash and short-term investments, book value, and return on equity may vary materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to vary from the forward-looking statements: whether KKR realizes all or any of the anticipated benefits from converting to a corporation and the timing of realizing such benefits; whether there are increased or unforeseen costs associated with the conversion, including any adverse change in tax law; the volatility of the capital markets; failure to realize the benefits of or changes in KKR’s business strategies including the ability to realize the anticipated synergies from acquisitions, strategic partnerships or other transactions; availability, terms and deployment of capital; availability of qualified personnel and expense of recruiting and retaining such personnel; changes in the asset management industry, interest rates or the general economy; underperformance of KKR’s investments and decreased ability to raise funds; and the degree and nature of KKR’s competition. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. KKR does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date on which such statements were made except as required by law. In addition, KKR’s business strategy is focused on the long-term and financial results are subject to significant volatility. Additional information about factors affecting KKR can be found in KKR & Co. Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on February 15, 2019, and other filings with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov.

Source: KKR & Co. Inc.

Investor Relations:
Craig Larson
Tel: +1 (877) 610-4910 (U.S.) / +1 (212) 230-9410
investor-relations@kkr.com

Media Contact:
Kristi Huller or Cara Major
Tel: + 1 (212) 750-8300
media@kkr.com

 

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Platinum Equity to Sell Artesyn’s Embedded Power Business to Advanced Energy

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Platinum

Partial Divestiture Separates Artesyn’s Embedded Power, Embedded Computing and Consumer Products Businesses

LOS ANGELES (May 15, 2019) – Platinum Equity announced today the signing of a definitive agreement to sell the Embedded Power business of portfolio company Artesyn Embedded Technologies, Inc., to Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEIS), in a transaction valued at approximately $400 million. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2019, subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

Artesyn Embedded Technologies has been a portfolio company of Platinum Equity since 2013.

Artesyn’s Embedded Power business is a leading global supplier and manufacturer of highly engineered power conversion products, including AC-DC power supplies, DC input devices and board mounted DC-DC modules.

“The Embedded Power business and Advanced Energy are a great strategic fit with complementary strengths,” said Platinum Equity Partner Jacob Kotzubei. “We are pleased to have found a combination that makes great sense for both companies and their customers.”

“The Embedded Power business and Advanced Energy are a great strategic fit with complementary strengths,” said Platinum Equity Partner Jacob Kotzubei. “We are pleased to have found a combination that makes great sense for both companies and their customers.”The transaction announced today only involves Artesyn’s Embedded Power business, which includes the Artesyn and Astec brands. Artesyn’s Embedded Computing and Consumer products businesses are not part of the sale and remain part of Platinum Equity’s portfolio.

Mr. Kotzubei said separating the three businesses makes the most long-term sense.

“Artesyn serves three very different markets, each with its own customer base and unique dynamics,” explained Mr. Kotzubei. “Separating them into standalone operations opens up more opportunities with greater potential.”

Artesyn’s Embedded Power business is one of the world’s largest providers of highly engineered, application-specific power supplies for demanding applications. As a trusted technology partner to original equipment manufacturers, it serves multiple attractive growth markets, including hyperscale data centers, telecom infrastructure in next generation 5G networks, embedded industrial power applications and medical power for diagnostic and treatment applications.

JP Morgan is serving as primary financial advisor to Artesyn on the sale of the Embedded Power business. Morgan Stanley is also providing financial advisory services to the company. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Baker & McKenzie LLP are serving as Artesyn’s legal counsel on the transaction.

About Platinum Equity
Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $13 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world. The firm is currently investing from Platinum Equity Capital Partners IV, a $6.5 billion global buyout fund, and Platinum Equity Small Cap Fund, a $1.5 billion buyout fund focused on investment opportunities in the lower middle market. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 23 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 250 acquisitions.

Investor Relations
and Media Contacts:

Mark Barnhill
Partner
+1 310.228.9514 E-mail Mark

Dan Whelan
Principal
+1 310.282.9202

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SPHEREA continues its growth trajectory with a consortium comprising Andera Partners and Omnes

Omnes Capital

Paris and Toulouse, 15 May 2019 – A consortium, comprising Andera Partners, via its fund WINCH Capital 4, and Omnes, via its fund Omnes Croissance 4, is taking a majority shareholding in the group SPHEREA, alongside management and its existing financial shareholders (ACE Management via Aerofund III and IRDI-SORIDEC Gestion, via SCR fund IRDI).

Since its exit and its capitalistic independence from the Airbus group, SPHEREA, created in 1965, continues its growth trajectory with the ambition of becoming first European, and then world leader in technological test solutions that enable the availability and security of critical systems for civil or military clients.

SPHEREA offers modular technology solutions for the entire lifecycle of electronic systems. A recognized market integrator, which has developed a wide range of products dedicated to electronic tests, such as the ATEC Series automatic test benches used in maintaining most Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the group relies on the synergy of its professional expertise in the fields of electronics, microwave, optronics, and power electronics. Since its exit in 2014 from the Airbus group, SPHEREA has diversified into energy and rail sectors.

The Group’s development dynamic is supported by an excess of 600 loyal customers worldwide, major players in aerospace and defence (Airbus, Dassault, Honeywell, Lufthansa Technik, DGA, Nahema, Thales, Comac), energy (EDF, Schneider Electric, RTE), or railways (SNCF, Alstom).

SPHEREA generated around €130 million in turnover in 2018, half of which came from exports (50 countries), and employs over 600 staff in France, Germany, the UK., the US and in Asia.

The aim of this deal is to allow SPHEREA to take a new step in its development based in particular on the following strategic areas:

Broadening its technological offer: in particular, developing predictive maintenance solutions, anticipating diagnostics, decision support, portable soil testing, on-board maintenance, and simulation;
Strengthening its positioning in new markets (energy and rail), drawing on its previous expertise in aeronautics;
Accelerating its international development (particularly in Asia and the US) and intensifying its policy of strategic acquisitions in France and Europe.

 

Christian Dabasse, CEO and Chairman of SPHEREA: “Our raison d’être is to ensure the reliability and security of our customers’ critical systems, we intervene where human life is at stake. Research and innovation are essential axes in a changing world in paradigm shift. Our new financial partners will enable us to expand our offering through increased R&D that responds to these challenges, as well as an ambitious external growth policy, both in France and abroad, on related trades or on new technologies in line with our mission. I especially thank Thierry Letailleur who, in 2014, as CEO of ACE Management and CEO of IRDI, was kind enough to support me in the creation of SPHEREA, and today allows us to enter a new phase of development.”

Antoine Le Bourgeois and Pierre-Yves Poirier, Partners at Andera Partners: “Management convinced us of the solidity of the Group’s historic businesses and the potential for new technological developments in the years to come. In addition, SPHEREA Group is fully committed to the investment strategy of our WINCH Capital 4 fund, which aims to support the change in scale of leading players in their market.”

Stéphane Roussilhe, Partner at Omnes: “We are delighted to support the management team in developing SPHEREA’s core business but also by helping external growth in France and internationally. This investment thesis perfectly reflects the strategy of our Omnes Croissance 4 fund.”

Thierry Letailleur, CEO, and Delphine Dinard, Partner, at ACE Management: “We are delighted to participate in this deal led by Andera and Omnes which allows us to continue supporting the group SPHEREA, which began 5 years ago. We are very proud of the journey made by Christian Dabasse and all his teams. This transaction also illustrates the ability of ACE Management to support strategic industrial companies across all phases of their development, such as the reinvestments recently made within the groups Duqueine, Nexteam, Rafaut and Socomore.”

Marc Bres-Pintat, Investment Director at IRDI-SORIDEC Gestion: “After backing Christian Dabasse and his teams during the successful spin-off from the Airbus group, IRDI-SORIDEC Gestion wanted to join this new capital-intensive operation aimed at providing SPHEREA with the means to pursue its growth strategy.”

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Anders Invest acquires VIOS Houttechniek

Anders Invest

On May 15th, Anders Invest acquired VIOS Houttechniek with branches in Driebruggen, Hoorn and Doetinchem. VIOS, founded in 1914 and now number 1 in the Netherlands in the production and sale of wooden staircases, has a turnover of € 25-30 million and employs more than 150 people. For Anders Invest, it is the 15th company in its industry portfolio.

VIOS is the market leader in the Netherlands in the field of engineering, production and assembly of serial custom-made staircases for residential construction. The company has most large, medium and small Dutch construction companies as customers. VIOS is increasingly involved in the construction process so that the right staircase is installed at the right time and the completion of the home can proceed in a timely manner. On the sales side, VIOS is also integrated with contractors and developers with online tools with which home owners can configure their stairs. In addition to serial-produced staircases, VIOS makes exclusive, tailor-made staircases including carpentry, stair gates and stair railings.

Stairrailing factory Fremeyer in Hoorn is also part of the transaction. VIOS has a third location in Doetinchem with a showroom where various luxury staircases can be seen. VIOS increasingly inspires its customers and end users in the application of higher quality staircases, finishes and various options. VIOS has a modern and automated machine park at its factory in Driebruggen, which means that a staircase is processed very efficiently from drawing to end product.

The shares were taken over from directors Hans Diekema and Jaap Mullié, both of whom had owned VIOS since 2003. Anders Invest is doing the acquisition together with incoming director Dirk Bergman, who is acquiring a minority interest. Dirk has extensive experience in management positions at wood and building materials companies. In his most recent role, Dirk was active as CEO of Deli Home.

In the past 10 years, VIOS has acquired a leading position in the market through organic growth and through various takeovers of smaller staircase factories. Due to the increasing demands on building processes, solid prospects for the number of new homes to be delivered and the consumer who expects more customization, the company sees sufficient opportunities for further growth. VIOS is characterized by a pleasant organizational culture with loyal employees with attention to quality and craftsmanship. Anders Invest and Dirk Bergman look forward to adding a successful new period to the company’s history with them.

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Winch invests in Spherea

Anderra Partners

SPHEREA continues its growth trajectory with a consortium comprising Andera Partners and Omnes

Paris and Toulouse, 15 May 2019 – A consortium, comprising Andera Partners, via its fund WINCH Capital 4, and Omnes, via its fund Omnes Croissance 4, is taking a majority shareholding in the group SPHEREA, alongside management and its existing financial shareholders (ACE Management via Aerofund III and IRDI-SORIDEC Gestion, via SCR fund IRDI).

Since its exit and its capitalistic independence from the Airbus group, SPHEREA, created in 1965, continues its growth trajectory with the ambition of becoming first European, and then world leader in technological test solutions that enable the availability and security of critical systems for civil or military clients.

SPHEREA offers modular technology solutions for the entire lifecycle of electronic systems. A recognized market integrator, which has developed a wide range of products dedicated to electronic tests, such as the ATEC Series automatic test benches used in maintaining most Airbus and Boeing aircraft, the group relies on the synergy of its professional expertise in the fields of electronics, microwave, optronics, and power electronics. Since its exit in 2014 from the Airbus group, SPHEREA has diversified into energy and rail sectors.

The Group’s development dynamic is supported by an excess of 600 loyal customers worldwide, major players in aerospace and defence (Airbus, Dassault, Honeywell, Lufthansa Technik, DGA, Nahema, Thales, Comac), energy (EDF, Schneider Electric, RTE), or railways (SNCF, Alstom).

SPHEREA generated around €130 million in turnover in 2018, half of which came from exports (50 countries), and employs over 600 staff in France, Germany, the UK., the US and in Asia.

The aim of this deal is to allow SPHEREA to take a new step in its development based in particular on the following strategic areas:

  • Broadening its technological offer: in particular, developing predictive maintenance solutions, anticipating diagnostics, decision support, portable soil testing, on-board maintenance, and simulation;
  • Strengthening its positioning in new markets (energy and rail), drawing on its previous expertise in aeronautics;
  • Accelerating its international development (particularly in Asia and the US) and intensifying its policy of strategic acquisitions in France and Europe.

Christian Dabasse, CEO and Chairman of SPHEREA: “Our raison d’être is to ensure the reliability and security of our customers’ critical systems, we intervene where human life is at stake. Research and innovation are essential axes in a changing world in paradigm shift. Our new financial partners will enable us to expand our offering through increased R&D that responds to these challenges, as well as an ambitious external growth policy, both in France and abroad, on related trades or on new technologies in line with our mission. I especially thank Thierry Letailleur who, in 2014, as CEO of ACE Management and CEO of IRDI, was kind enough to support me in the creation of SPHEREA, and today allows us to enter a new phase of development.”

Antoine Le Bourgeois and Pierre-Yves Poirier, Partners at Andera Partners: “Management convinced us of the solidity of the Group’s historic businesses and the potential for new technological developments in the years to come. In addition, SPHEREA Group is fully committed to the investment strategy of our WINCH Capital 4 fund, which aims to support the change in scale of leading players in their market.”

Stéphane Roussilhe, Partner at Omnes: “We are delighted to support the management team in developing SPHEREA’s core business but also by helping external growth in France and internationally. This investment thesis perfectly reflects the strategy of our Omnes Croissance 4 fund.”

Thierry Letailleur, CEO, and Delphine Dinard, Partner, at ACE Management: “We are delighted to participate in this deal led by Andera and Omnes which allows us to continue supporting the group SPHEREA, which began 5 years ago. We are very proud of the journey made by Christian Dabasse and all his teams. This transaction also illustrates the ability of ACE Management to support strategic industrial companies across all phases of their development, such as the reinvestments recently made within the groups Duqueine, Nexteam, Rafaut and Socomore.”

Marc Bres-Pintat, Investment Director at IRDI-SORIDEC Gestion: “After backing Christian Dabasse and his teams during the successful spin-off from the Airbus group, IRDI-SORIDEC Gestion wanted to join this new capital-intensive operation aimed at providing SPHEREA with the means to pursue its growth strategy.”

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Axon Partners Group exited Nice People at Work

Axon

May 2019. Axon Partners Group has successfully exited Nice People at Work(www.nicepeopleatwork.com), multiplying the investment more than eleven times with an annualized return of over 60%. Nice People at Work is a company, founded in Barcelona, which provides real-time data analytics technology solutions for video. Axon was the only institutional investor in the company with an investment of less than one million euros.

Axon invested in Nice People at Work in 2014 as part of an investment strategy designed for the video sector (a strategy that also involved other successful investments such as Wuaki.tv or Akamon).

Since Axon invested, the company grew exponentially, from insignificant sales in 2014 to revenues of more than ten million euros and an EBITDA of more than two million at the start of 2019. Nice employs 150 people and has a commercial presence worldwide, especially in the US, where Nice opened its office in 2016 and has become a strategic provider of large clients such as, telecommunications operators and Hollywood studios. All this happened in less than five years.

Axon’s team contributed in all areas, from organizational changes and improvements, to legal support for the defense of technology in the American market. Axon was also involved in the corporate strategy of the sale of the company.

“We are delighted to have participated in Nice People at Work because it is an example of how with few resources you can build a world-class technological company capable not only of competing, but also of leading, the most difficult markets in the world. We are also grateful to Ferran Gutierrez, Sergi Verges and Otto Wust, an exceptional team of people capable of doing a lot with little, with humility and intelligence ” says Francisco Velázquez, President of Axon and until recently advisor of Nice.

“After 6 years, I can say little about Axon as a company that invested in NPAW, but I would have a lot to explain as the partners and mentors that have been for the founder team. Thanks for the support and confidence you have given us these last 6 years.”, says Ferran Gutiérrez, CEO and co-founder of Nice People.

For further information please contact with the Marketing Departmert:
marketing@axonpartnersgroup.com
T. +34 913102894

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DIF and Aberdeen Standard Investments acquire UNITANK

DIF

Schiphol, 15 May 2019 – DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I (“DIF”) and SL Capital Infrastructure II SCSp (“ASI”) are pleased to announce the financial close of its 100% acquisition of UNITANK from the family owners, with ASI and DIF each acquiring a 50% stake. The financial close follows on from the agreement signed on 27 February 2019 and upon receipt of the necessary merger clearance from the German competition authority.

UNITANK is a market leading independent and neutral infrastructure and services provider storing liquid oil products, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. The company owns and operates five terminals in Germany and one terminal in Belgium, all in key strategic locations. The terminals handle diesel, gasoline, jet fuel and heating oil and have a total storage capacity of c. 1.1 million cubic meters. Servicing both strategic stockholding agencies with product storage as well as commercial clients with product throughput provides UNITANK with a stable and resilient business model.

The acquisition provides ASI and DIF with a strong and differentiated platform in the German liquid bulk storage and throughput market. Its flexible business model, high-quality and state-of-the-art asset base, and operational excellence positions the company well for the future. The consortium will continue to back the company’s long-term and successful strategy for the business.

Willem Jansonius – Partner and Head of Core Infrastructure at DIF

“We firmly believe in the strategy as set by the current shareholder and management team. We are impressed with the commercial re-positioning of the business and its importance in providing essential services in its clients’ supply chains. We appreciate the well-invested asset base and the resulting high standards of operational excellence, which are essential to UNITANK’s current and future positioning.”

Dominic Helmsley – Head of Economic Infrastructure at Aberdeen Standard Investments

“We consider UNITANK to be a highly successful provider of storage capacity for strategic stockholding agencies and a key strategic partner for oil majors. We value the company’s historic growth and see significant future upside. Together with our partner DIF we look forward to working closely with UNITANK management in supporting the business and exploring further business opportunities.”

Jan Westedt – Owner

“Our family has run UNITANK over two generations with a strategy emphasising close and trusted partnerships with our clients and employees, which were key elements of our success story. We are glad that DIF and ASI together with the management team will continue to pursue a long-term investment strategy centred around our philosophy and corporate culture.”

   

About DIF

DIF is an independent infrastructure fund manager, with €5.6 billion of assets under management across seven closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in greenfield and brownfield infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, North America and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF Infrastructure V targets equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, regulated assets and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.
  • DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I targets equity investments in small to mid-sized infrastructure assets in the energy, transportation and telecom sectors with mid-term contracted income streams that generate stable and predictable cash flows.

DIF has a team of over 120 professionals, based in eight offices located in Schiphol (the Netherlands), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

Contact: Allard Ruijs, Partner; a.ruijs@dif.eu.

 

About ASI

  • Aberdeen Standard Investments is a leading global asset manager dedicated to creating long-term value for our clients, and is a brand of the investment businesses of Aberdeen Asset Management and Standard Life Investments. With over 1,000 investment professionals, we manage €562.7 billion of assets worldwide. We have clients in 80 countries supported by 50 relationship offices. This ensures we are close to our clients and the markets in which we invest.  (*as of 31 December 2018)
  • We are high-conviction, long-term investors who believe teamwork and collaboration are the key to delivering repeatable, superior investment performance.
  • Standard Life Aberdeen plc is headquartered in Scotland. It has around 1.2 million shareholders and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

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Onit Acquires SimpleLegal to Modernize Global Legal Operations

K1

HOUSTON and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – May 13, 2019 – Onit, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise workflow solutions including enterprise legal management, contract management and business process automation, today announced the acquisition of SimpleLegal, a leading provider of modern legal spend, matter and vendor management software. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Onit brings a management team with more than two decades of domain-specific expertise and a history of creating the e-billing and legal spend management market. SimpleLegal brings a fresh perspective to a 30+ year-old corporate market with a focus on simplicity and modern design. Working together, this acquisition will drive meaningful change for the entire legal industry and especially legal operation teams seeking a comprehensive end-to-end solution, legal technology innovation and shared best practices.

“Onit and SimpleLegal share both a passion for both disrupting the legal technology space and valuing product innovation,” said Eric M. Elfman, Onit CEO and co-founder. “Our shared commitment to elevate legal operations technology is an asset for all of our customers – from rapidly growing start-ups with their first in-house counsel all the way to the largest, most complex organizations. Together, our goal is to help all legal operations professionals achieve operational excellence on their legal technology journey.”

All product, support and services will continue uninterrupted for all customers. Management teams from both organizations will remain intact. Elfman, who was previously CEO of Onit, will serve as the CEO of the merged organization, and Nathan Wenzel, previously the CEO and co-founder of SimpleLegal, will serve as the General Manager of SimpleLegal.

“Today, corporations spend more than $160 billion on their in-house legal teams. The combination of Onit and SimpleLegal is a game-changer for the legal market and the future of legal operations,” said Wenzel. “Our teams are uniquely equipped to help shape the technology that is powering legal departments worldwide. Together, we’re looking forward to combining efforts and talent to build and bring to market the next generation of legal operations technology.”

Founded in 2013, SimpleLegal is widely recognized as a disruptor in the legal technology market. With a simple and intuitive solution delivering fast time-to-value, customers have access to software that is easy to use, implement and configure. In the last five years, SimpleLegal has helped corporate legal departments process more than $1 billion annually and manage nearly 500,000 legal matters globally.

About SimpleLegal

SimpleLegal provides a modern legal operations management platform that streamlines the way corporate legal departments manage their matters, track and interpret spend, and collaborate with vendors and law firms. SimpleLegal combines e-Billing and spend management, matter management, vendor management, and reporting and analytics into one comprehensive application to optimize legal operations and the management of the entire legal department. The company, founded in 2013, is privately held and located in Mountain View, California. For more information, visit www.simplelegal.com.

About Onit

Onit is a global leader of enterprise workflow solutions for legal, compliance, sales, IT, HR and finance departments. Our solutions transform best practices into smarter workflows, better processes and operational efficiencies. With a focus on enterprise legal management, matter management, spend management, contract management and legal holds, we operate globally and help transform the way Fortune 500 companies and billion-dollar legal departments bridge the gap between systems of record and systems of engagement. We help customers find gains in efficiency, reduce costs and automate transactions faster. For more information, visit www.onit.com or call 1-800-281-1330.

Source: https://www.onit.com/news/onit-acquires-simplelegal-to-modernize-global-legal-operations/

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