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CapMan expands BVK’s Danish portfolio

CapMan Real Estate press release                                      30.9.2020 at 08:00 EEST

CapMan expands BVK’s Danish portfolio

CapMan Real Estate expands Bayerische Versorgungskammer’s (BVK) Danish portfolio. The new acquisition for a real estate fund managed by Universal-Investment-Luxembourg S.A. is a 37,440 sqm residential project in Kirkebjerg, Brøndby developed by CASA A/S, who originally purchased the property in December 2019. The transaction, amounting to more than 1 billion DKK, will be one of the largest residential transactions in Denmark in 2020.

The residential project on Søndre Ringvej 27 is part of the new Kirkebjerg area in Brøndby, where CASA is already developing the property at Søndre Ringvej 33. Kirkebjerg will be Brøndby’s new, vibrant neighborhood with apartments, terraced houses and green areas.

The 37,440 sqm on Søndre Ringvej 27 is situated only a few minutes’ walk from Glostrup station and the new light rail, which will open in 2025. The project totals 463 homes in four blocks as well as a parking garage with room for most cars, so space is left for several green areas. The apartments will all have a balcony or patio and will vary in size from 2-5 rooms (60-107 sqm).

The property is acquired on a forward funding basis from CASA, who will also be the general contractor. Construction of the property starts in November 2020 with delivery of the turnkey project expected by early 2023.

”This project provides a nice addition to BVK’s residential real estate portfolio and we are looking forward to continue our good relationship with BVK, Universal Investment and CASA working on this outstanding residential project,” comments Robert Feldt, Investment Director at CapMan Real Estate.

From grey industry to green residences

In the coming years, Kirkebjerg will be transformed from an industry area to a vibrant neighborhood with up to 2,000 new homes. The first homes are expected to be ready in 2021. Large, green areas are to be used for outdoor recreational areas for future residents and neighbors.

The four new blocks on Søndre Ringvej 27 will furthermore be built according to DGNB Gold standards to enhance the green footprint. The 463 apartments have been designed by Arkitema Architects.

”We are grateful for the cooperation we have with CapMan Real Estate, BVK and Brøndby Municipality on the development of Kirkebjerg. The transformation from grey industry to green residences couldn’t be closer to our hearts in CASA, which makes us even prouder to be developing and constructing this project,” says CEO at CASA A/S, Torben Modvig.

CapMan Real Estate’s Nordic organization includes more than 40 committed real estate investment professionals, managing over €2.8 billion in real estate investments.

For further information please contact:

Robert Feldt, Investment Director, CapMan Real Estate, tel. +45 5051 8841
Ditte Hejberg Sorknæs, Kommunikationschef, CASA A/S, tel. +45 6057 6516

About CapMan

CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value creation. We offer a wide selection of investment products and services. As one of the Nordic private equity pioneers, we have developed hundreds of companies and real estate assets and created substantial value in these businesses and assets over the past 30 years. We have a broad presence in the unlisted market through our local and specialised teams. Our investment strategies cover Private Equity, Real Estate and Infra. We also have a growing service business that includes procurement services, wealth management, and analysis, reporting and back office services. Altogether, CapMan employs around 150 people in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, London and Luxembourg. We are a public company listed on Nasdaq Helsinki since 2001 and a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) since 2012. Read more at www.capman.com.

About Bayerische Versorgungskammer:

Bayerische Versorgungskammer is the competence and service center for occupational and communal pension schemes and Germany´s largest pension scheme group under public law. As a public authority of the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior, it is the joint executive body of twelve liberal professions´ and communal pension schemes. Bayerische Versorgungskammer covers about 2.4 million insured persons in total, with contributions of € 5.0 billion and about € 3.6 billion pension payments annually. It currently has € 81.7 billion assets under management and more than 1,350 employees.

About CASA A/S

CASA was founded in 2006 and has grown to be one of Denmark’s leading property developer and general contractors. 60% of the company was sold in 2016 to the Danish private equity fund CataCap. More than 15% of CASA is owned by the employees, who are dedicated to developing the company they are a part of. With an annual turnover of 2.5 billion DKK, an average growth rate at 23% and projects all over Denmark within property development, construction and renovation, CASA is now amongst the largest developers and contractors in Denmark. The company has a green profile with an ambition of at least 80% of all new construction being certified sustainable by 2021. www.casa-as.dk

About Universal-Investment

With fund assets of around EUR 528 billion under administration, thereof EUR 400 billion in own vehicles and around EUR 128 billion in, inter alia, insourcing, well over 1,500 mutual and special investment mandates and a workforce of around 750, Universal-Investment is the largest independent investment company in the German-speaking region. With the acquisition of UI labs in January 2019, the industry-leading IT data specialist now completes the Group’s service portfolio by adding front office and data solutions. The investment company is the central platform for independent asset management and unifies the investment know-how of portfolio managers, private banks, asset managers and investment boutiques. Founded in 1968, the Universal-Investment Group is headquartered in Frankfurt/Main and has subsidiaries, branches and holdings in Luxembourg, Poland and Austria. It is one of the pioneers of the investment industry and has meanwhile become the market leader in the areas of master-KVG and private label funds. According to the 2020 PwC ManCo Survey, Universal-Investment is the largest AIFM ManCo in Luxembourg; among the Third-Party-ManCos, Universal-Investment ranks second (as of July 31, 2020).

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Ardian Infrastructure’s team appoints Joseba Echave as Head of Financing

Ardian

30 September 2020 Infrastructure Paris, France

The appointment sees Ardian Infrastructure’s team build out its operational platform, paving the way for another decade of growth and success

Paris,30th September 2020 – Ardian, a world leading private investment house, today announces the appointment of Joseba Echave as Head of Financing for Ardian Infrastructure.

In this newly created role based in Luxembourg, Joseba will be responsible for negotiating and securing debt financing solutions for Ardian Infrastructure platform in Europe and in the Americas. The role is one of several global functions within the Infrastructure team, also including Deputy Head of Infrastructure, Head of Asset Management, CIO and COO, as well as regional and sector leads. The structure reflects the strong ambitions of the team, together forming a robust operational infrastructure to support its portfolio management and investments over the years to come.

Joseba joins from Cintra (Ferrovial Group), where he worked as Project Finance Director. He was responsible for the closing of infrastructure transactions in Europe and North America. During Joseba’s career, he garnered 15 years of multi-faceted experience and was based in Paris (France), London (UK), Madrid (Spain) and Austin (Texas, US). He received his BA in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and an MBA from London Business School.

The Ardian Infrastructure team, which is led by Mathias Burghardt (Head), has grown significantly since its foundation in 2005, now comprising 50 professionals across eight offices. Ardian Infrastructure holds $16bn AUM, investing assets across the transport, energy and telecoms sectors.

Mathias Burghardt, Head of Ardian Infrastructure, said: “Joseba is a fantastic addition to our team. His deep experience in American and European capital markets will further strengthen our investment and portfolio management practices. In an increasingly complex world, experiencing technological and macro-economic disruptions, our focus is on supporting infrastructure investments and managing our portfolio in a way that ensures a sustainable future for what are often vital community assets. Joseba will play an important role in helping us do that.”

Joseba Echave, said: “At a time when infrastructure has a pivotal role to play, there are both opportunities and challenges ahead. Ardian Infrastructure is an international leader and I can’t wait to play my part to help build on the team’s strong track record, working with Mathias and the rest of the team to invest in and support key infrastructure assets.”

Joseba Echave

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of 100 billion US dollars managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base. Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.

Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 690 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of around 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.

Press Contact

Ardian – Headland

Gregor RIEMANN

griemann@headlandconsultancy.com +44 207 3435 7469

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Ardian North America Direct Buyouts Team announces agreement for the acquisition of Acousti Engineering Of Florida

Ardian

Ardian’s Investment Will Boost the Growth Strategy of Leading Specialty Interior Contractor

New York, September 30, 2020 – Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, today announced that its North America Direct Buyouts team reached agreement to acquire Acousti Engineering Company of Florida, a leading specialty contractor of complex interior systems for commercial and institutional buildings, from the Verner family and retiring members of the management team. Ardian will acquire a majority stake, while the ongoing management team will continue to own a meaningful minority share of the business.

Acousti provides a wide range of general and custom construction applications and interior finish applications for commercial construction customers. Founded in 1943 and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, its services include acoustic ceilings, flooring, walls, specialty products for interior systems, and specialty exterior applications. The company has 20 branches throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Texas. With approximately 900 employees, Acousti is a leading specialty contractor installing complex, custom and specialty interior systems from a wide variety of manufacturers. The company has particular expertise in the healthcare, education, transportation, entertainment, office and infrastructure-related end markets.

Ardian’s investment will facilitate a transition of the senior management team: Randy Keller will become the President and Chief Executive Officer, Bill Carballo will become the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Chris Robertson will become the Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Keller has been at Acousti for 34 years and is currently a Vice President and the Director of Operations. Mr. Carballo has been with Acousti for 27 years and is currently a Vice President and the Regional Manager of Southeast Florida. Mr. Robertson has been with Acousti for seven years and is currently the Controller.

“Acousti is a market-leading interior finishing specialty subcontractor, ideally positioned to grow both within its existing geographic markets and to expand to new locations. Acousti’s highly capable leadership, blue-chip customer base, and broad capabilities give us great confidence in the company’s potential. We foresee significant further expansion opportunities for the company ahead,” said Kevin Kruse, Managing Director, Ardian North America Direct Buyouts.

Todd Welsch, Director, Ardian North America Direct Buyouts, added, “Randy, Bill and Chris collectively have decades of experience working at Acousti. We are excited to partner with them to accelerate the growth rate of the business, while continuing to provide its existing customers with industry-leading levels of service.”

“We are tremendously grateful for all of the support and contributions of the retiring executive management team and Verner family to put Acousti in the successful position it is in today,” said Randy Keller, the incoming President and CEO. “We see significant opportunities to expand both our geographic reach and to broaden the service offering throughout our existing network of branches. We are delighted to have Ardian as a partner as we embark on the next stage of our growth,” continued Mr. Keller.

“Our 900 employees are dedicated to providing excellent levels of service to our customers every day, ensuring that our work is done safely, on-time and on-budget. The new leadership team is committed to upholding Acousti’s outstanding reputation, and we are excited about the opportunities ahead,” remarked Bill Carballo, the incoming Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

“We look forward to working with Randy, Bill, Chris and the incredible people who make up the Acousti employee base on this next chapter in the company’s development,” added Mr. Kruse.

Ardian launched its North America Direct Buyouts activity in October 2016 when it hired the team from Seven Mile Capital Partners. The North American fund focuses on lower middle market buyouts, specifically middle market industrial and related business services companies in North America.

Financial details were not disclosed.

ABOUT ACOUSTI ENGINEERING OF FLORIDA

Acousti Engineering Company of Florida and its offices throughout the Southern United States are committed to providing the highest quality products, installation, and other services to our valued customers. Our commitment to representing the latest innovative construction materials and providing unsurpassed quality workmanship will never change. That is why we remain the largest interior construction company in the South East and one of the largest in the United States.

Visit the website

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house with assets of US$100bn managed or advised in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is majority-owned by its employees. It keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and focuses on delivering excellent investment performance to its global investor base. Through its commitment to shared outcomes for all stakeholders, Ardian’s activities fuel individual, corporate and economic growth around the world.

Holding close its core values of excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship, Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 690 employees working from fifteen offices across Europe (Frankfurt, Jersey, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Zurich), the Americas (New York, San Francisco and Santiago) and Asia (Beijing, Singapore, Tokyo and Seoul). It manages funds on behalf of around 1,000 clients through five pillars of investment expertise: Fund of Funds, Direct Funds, Infrastructure, Real Estate and Private Debt.

Press contact

The Neibart Group

EMMA MURPHY

emurphy@neibartgroup.com + 1 347-968-6800

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Announcing $268 million in Series E funding

August Capital

We’re excited to share that GitLab has completed a $268 million Series E round of fundraising that pushed the company’s valuation to $2.75 billion. This latest funding round was led by existing investors Goldman Sachs and ICONIQ, but also included participation from nine new-to-GitLab investors.

Our plans for the funding are straightforward: GitLab will invest to make all of our DevOps platform offerings, including monitoring, security, and planning, best in class so we can enable our enterprise customers to continue to bring products to market faster.

At a time when the DevOps tools market is expected to triple by 2023 (from $5.2 billion last year to $15 billion, according to IDC), it was clear there was an opportunity for our company to pursue additional funding. “To be competitive today, companies need to be 10x faster to market. We made an early bet that enterprises would benefit from a single application experience for DevOps teams to accelerate getting software products to market faster and more securely,” says CEO Sid Sijbrandij. “I love hearing how our customers are innovating faster with a single DevOps application that enables Dev, Ops, and Security to collaborate, and this funding will help more organizations experience the benefits of this unified DevOps experience.”

Today more than 100,000 organizations use GitLab, including Ask Media Group, Charter Communication, Delta Air Lines, Goldman Sachs, Ticketmaster, Nvidia, and many more. We just found out we were ranked 32nd in the Forbes 2019 Cloud 100 – and we were the only cloud-agnostic DevOps tool maker named! Our ARR (annual recurring revenue) growth rate is 143%, a sign of customer satisfaction and strong demand.

A fast pace

This latest fundraising effort happened less than a year after we announced our Series D round of $100 million. At that time the company was valued at $1.1 billion; with today’s announcement, our valuation has more than doubled in less than a year.

It’s been an amazing journey to get to this point, and it’s worth remembering where we came from. In 2015 fewer than 10 people worked at GitLab; today over 800 team members contribute from 55 countries around the world. And we’re still growing, as our 222 open positions show. More than 4,800 people actively contribute code to GitLab, and we receive an average of 180 improvements to each monthly release. In March 2019 we had one million merge requests, which was a milestone indeed. We’re on this journey together and we couldn’t be more excited to see where it takes us. Today you’ll find us at our first ever user conference, GitLab Commit, in Brooklyn and then again in London on October 9. We’re looking forward to the inspiring customer stories that have made this all possible.

The funding was announced live in the keynote of GitLab Commit Brooklyn, also see the playlist of all talks that day.

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Main Capital acquires majority stake in AI-powered HR technology provider Textkernel

Main Capital

The Hague, 29 September 2020 – Textkernel is a global leader in developing AI and semantic technology for talent acquisition. Its customer base includes global staffing and recruitment firms, multinational corporations and software vendors. The company is headquartered in Amsterdam and currently employs approximately 154 people across offices in the Netherlands, France, Germany the U.K. and the U.S..

Textkernel provides AI-powered technology, which improves the talent acquisition and management solutions of over 1,000 customers globally.  This includes companies such as Adecco, Randstad, Manpower as well as large corporate organizations such as Otto GmbH & Co KG, The Colas Group, and ENGIE SA. Textkernel’s solutions are business-critical for recruiting and staffing organizations.

By offering a turnkey solution that is already integrated into globally-known and widely adopted core (HR) software systems such as Bullhorn, SAP SuccessFactors, Oracle Taleo and Oracle Cloud Recruiting, Cornerstone- Lumesse and Talentsoft, Textkernel has been able to expand its customer base and potential reach into the corporate HR market segment.

Textkernel’s flagship product, Search! & Match!, connects candidates to jobs by leveraging ever-sophisticated algorithms that identify multiple means of making potential matches. By leveraging the latest in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, professionals active in talent management are able to pinpoint the best candidates and job matches within increasing volumes of candidate and job data.

Collaboration Textkernel and Main

  • Current management team Gerard Mulder (CEO) and Guus Meijer (COO) will stay onboard and are investing in Textkernel alongside Main Capital.
  • Together, Textkernel and Main will focus on autonomous growth and further development of the technology platform required to execute on its ambitious growth plans in the coming period.
  • In addition, the combination will pursue a selective strategy for smart acquisitions in the broader HR software space.

Gerard Mulder, CEO at Textkernel: “We are delighted to have the support of Main Capital Partners to drive our ambitious expansion plans for the future.  Despite the challenging economic context, we see ample runway for growth across diverse customer segments and geographies. Having Main Capital as a strategic investment partner allows us to benefit from their deep expertise and diverse SaaS network.  We look forward to delivering on our vision as an AI provider for business leaders seeking innovative solutions to solve their most pressing talent acquisition and management challenges.”

Pieter van Bodegraven, Partner at Main Capital Partners: “Strong potential is visible in this particular part of the HR software market. We have known the management team of Textkernel for many years and are pleased with the opportunity to collaborate. We are impressed by the fact that the company is able to realize autonomous growth in a profitable way, while expanding internationally at the same time.”

About Textkernel
Textkernel works with over 1,000 HR and staffing organizations worldwide to bring the latest in artificial intelligence technology to our customers’ fingertips. We work with large, global companies across multiple industries deliver multilingual parsing, semantic search and match, and labor market intelligence solutions.

About Main Capital Partners
Main Capital is a strategic investor with an exclusive focus on the software sector in the Benelux, DACH and Nordics. Main has a long term horizon around successful partnerships with management teams, with the aim of building larger software groups together. Main has approximately € 1 billion in assets under management for investments in mature and growing software companies.

Main Capital’s current portfolio includes fast-growing software and SaaS software companies such as MACH AG, Exxellence, WoodWing, Alfa, Optimizers, Assessio, GBTEC, Onventis, HYPE Innovation, cleversoft, Enovation, SDB Group, Jobrouter, GOconnectIT, Inergy, KING Software, Artegic, OBI4wan, b+m Informatik, ChainPoint, Sofon and RVC. Successful former companies that have grown significantly under Main’s leadership: Connexys (HR software), Roxit (government software), Axxerion (facility management software), Ymor (APM software), Onguard (credit management software) and TPSC (healthcare GRC software).

Note for the editor:
For more information, please contact:

Charly Zwemstra (Managing Partner)
Main Capital Partners B.V., Paleisstraat 6, 2514 JA, Den Haag
Tel: +31 (0) 70 324 3433 / +31 (0) 6 5127 7805
charly@main.nl
www.main.nl

Gerard Mulder (CEO)
Textkernel B.V.
Nieuwendammerkade 26A-5, 1022 AB Amsterdam
Tel: +31 (0) 20 494 2496
mulder@textkernel.com
www.textkernel.com

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Vector Acquisition Corporation Announces Closing of $300 Million Initial Public Offering

Vector Capital

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Vector Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”), a special purpose acquisition company led by Alex Slusky and formed for the purpose of entering into a combination with one or more businesses, today announced the closing of its initial public offering of 30,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit. Total gross proceeds from the offering were $300 million before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses payable by the Company.

The units began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “VACQU” on September 25, 2020. Each unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company and one-third of one warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one Class A ordinary share of the Company at a price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A ordinary shares and warrants are expected to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “VACQ” and “VACQW,” respectively.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and BofA Securities, Inc. acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. The Company has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 4,500,000 units at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any.

The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus related to the offering may be obtained from: Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, telephone: 800-503-4611 or email: prospectus.cpdg@db.com; or BofA Securities, Inc., Attention: Prospectus Department, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte NC 28255-0001 or email: dg.prospectus_request@bofa.com.

A registration statement relating to the securities became effective on September 24, 2020 in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the anticipated use of the net proceeds. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the Company’s offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

Contacts

Nathaniel Garnick / Grace Cartwright
Gasthalter & Co.
(212) 257-4170

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CapMan Real Estate and CASA joint venture invests in Frederiksberg

CapMan Real Estate press release 29 September 2020 at 10:00 am EEST

CapMan’s new value-add real estate fund CMNRE III has acquired a prominent property on Lindevangs Allé 8-12, Frederiksberg in a joint venture with property developer CASA. The transaction marks the start of a cooperation between CapMan and CASA focused on transforming and developing outdated properties into modern office space.

CapMan and CASA have acquired an outworn property in the heart of Frederiksberg, part of the City of Copenhagen, which will now undergo a major transformation. Over the coming years, the property will be renovated and upgraded into modern, dynamic office space.

“In recent years, we have worked with a number of transformation projects where the starting point has been well-located properties with significant development potential. For years, this property has been used for educational purposes and it is now our plan to convert it to its original use as office space. We see potential in creating an attractive and modern office environment, which further adds to the appeal of the area,” says Hasse Wulff, Investment Director at CapMan Real Estate.

From an outdated to an inspiring office environment

The large, almost 5,000 sqm, building will undergo a renovation with a focus on sustainability, where e.g. the façade is retrofitted with insulation for energy optimisation.

Student housing is being developed in the neighbouring property. CASA anticipates that the new tenants in the offices and student housing will further contribute to the development of a dynamic community in an attractive part of Frederiksberg. The new office building will be an integrated part of Frederiksberg and offer an active and inspiring environment where tenants, neighbours, and other residents of Frederiksberg can thrive.

Construction is expected to start in early 2021.

CapMan’s Real Estate team comprises over 40 real estate professionals in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo. CapMan Real Estate currently manages a total of EUR 2.8 billion in real estate assets.

For further information, please contact:

Hasse Wulff, Investment Director, CapMan Real Estate, tel. +45 4013 0433
Ditte Hejberg Sorknæs, Head of Communication, tel. +45 6057 6516

About CapMan

CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value creation. We offer a wide selection of investment products and services. As one of the Nordic private equity pioneers, we have developed hundreds of companies and real estate assets and created substantial value in these businesses and assets over the past 30 years. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors. We have a broad presence in the unlisted market through our local and specialised teams. Our investment strategies cover Private Equity, Real Estate and Infra. We also have a growing service business that includes procurement services, wealth management, and analysis, reporting and back office services. Altogether, CapMan employs around 150 people in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, London and Luxembourg. We are a public company listed on Nasdaq Helsinki since 2001 and a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) since 2012. Read more at www.capman.com.

About CASA A/S

CASA was founded in 2006 and has grown to be one of Denmark’s leading property developer and general contractors. 60% of the company was sold in 2016 to the Danish private equity fund CataCap. More than 15% of CASA is owned by the employees, who are dedicated to developing the company they are a part of. With an annual turnover of 2.5 billion DKK, an average growth rate at 23% and projects all over Denmark within property development, construction and renovation, CASA is now amongst the largest developers and contractors in Denmark. The company has a green profile with an ambition of at least 80% of all new construction being certified sustainable by 2021. www.casa-as.dk  

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TFS enters partnership in the US with the Duke Clinical Research Institute

Ratos

TFS has entered into a strategic partnership with the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) in North Carolina, US, to provide data management solutions in clinical trials.

The unique collaboration expands TFS’s capability to execute clinical trials for both commercial and government sponsors in the U.S. It supports the company’s growth strategy and further develops its scientific offering. Duke Clinical Research Institute is a world-renowned research institute, recognized for bringing innovation to clinical trial design and execution.

“DCRI is known for ushering in new and innovative approaches to clinical research, and TFS is a leader in providing quality clinical development services through operational excellence and a customer-centric approach. TFS data management solutions ensure quality data services while it continues to push boundaries in study design and management as part of our shared mission to serve patients throughout the world,” says Bassem Saleh, TFS Chief Executive Officer.

“The partnership with Duke Clinical Research Institute is a strategic step toward expanding TFS’ service offering in North America and it opens up doors for further collaboration. TFS provides tailored solutions and is well-positioned to manage complex global studies. The recent agreement strengthens our US presence, while leveraging the European capabilities,” says Joakim Twetman, Head of Business Area Industry at Ratos.

 

For further information, please contact:
Joakim Twetman, Head of Business Area Industry, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 00
Helene Gustafsson, Head of IR and Press, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 98, helene.gustafsson@ratos.se

 

About TFS:
TFS is a global, mid-sized, clinical contract research organisation (CRO) that supports biotech companies through the entire clinical development process. TFS focuses its scientific and medical competence across a broad therapeutic spectrum, with industry-leading capabilities in dermatology, oncology and ophthalmology. TFS has two business Areas: Clinical Development Services (CDS), which offers clinical trials for small pharmaceutical companies during the development process, and Strategic Resourcing Solutions (SRS), which offers resource solutions featuring clinical professionals and targeting major pharmaceutical companies. Over the past five years, TFS has been involved in approximately 1,100 studies in 40 countries across Europe and North America.

About Ratos:
Ratos is a business group consisting of 12 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer & Technology and Industry. In total, the companies have SEK 38 billion in sales and EBITA of SEK 1.8 billion. Our business concept is to develop mid-sized companies headquartered in the Nordics that are or can become market leaders. We enable independent mid-sized companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas for Ratos. Everything we do is based on Ratos’s core values: Simplicity, Speed in Execution and It’s All About People.

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Exotec raises $90M to support the international expansion of its warehouse robotics solutions

Iris capital

Exotec, a leading robotics solution for logistics and creator of the Skypod 3D warehouse robots, announces today a $90 million financing round, led by 83North – backed by Dell Technologies Capital – and supported by historical investors, Iris Capital and Breega.

This new funding will further fuel Exotec’s international development, especially their recently formed Atlanta and Tokyo teams and help them meet the growing demand for warehouse automation technology in the USA and Asia. Exotec forecasts they will produce up to 4000 robots per year by 2021.

Exotec’s revolutionary robots allow retailers and e-merchants to quadruple their warehouse productivity and increase up to five times their storage capacity. Their autonomous robots can move in a unique three-dimensional pattern at a speed of 4m/s, creating a faster and more efficient picking and preparation process.

Warehouse robotics have a 45% CAGR while the global automation market’s CAGR is also constantly growing by 10 to 15%.

“There is a global need for robotics solutions in warehouses, but logisticians are often concerned to invest in traditional fixed automation in this fast-changing world. This $50 billion market should be supplied with flexible and efficient solutions to fulfill customers’ needs and new shopping timelines. Our fourteen running systems deliver a best-in-class performance to world leading retailers across three continents while allowing them to constantly adjust their infrastructure,” said Romain Moulin, Co-founder and CEO of Exotec.

Exotec revenue doubled in 2020 as several new international clients, including Carrefour and Fast Retailing (Uniqlo group), adopted their technology in key warehouses.
This latest funding round will allow the company to further expand and deliver their fully adjustable robotics solution to a wider range of clients in the US, Europe and Asia, across numerous B2B and B2C retail sectors such as fashion, grocery, pharmaceutical, hardware, and manufacturing.

In North America, Exotec is expanding its footprint to meet the increasing demand for automated logistics. The company has signed partnerships with highly experienced American integrators to accelerate market penetration. Exotec is also currently hiring in North America to support its operations and its growth.

“Brands and retailers are seeing tremendous surge in e-commerce, accelerated by the current pandemic. They must now transform their supply chain to gain competitive advantage. Exotec is addressing this challenge with its scalable robotics system” said Rudi Lueg, Managing Director of North America at Exotec.

Exotec will continue to design and manufacture its robots in the headquarters based in Lille, in the North of France. The company now has a staff of 190 employees, double that of last year and boasts of a 6000m² plant for its operations and product reviews.  Exotec robotics solutions have automated and transformed the warehouses of prominent French retailers such as Leclerc and Cdiscount.

The partnership announced at the end of 2019 between Exotec and international retail company, Fast Retailing, is now delivering its benefits to the group. The technology is under deployment in two warehouses in Japan, with 1000 Skypods improving logistics efficiency for Uniqlo stores. Exotec Nihon has been created to support the operations in Japan and over 30 employees will be hired in the coming months.

Leading the round, Laurel Bowden, Partner at 83North, stated: “83North has invested in many teams and companies enabling the future of ecommerce. In our opinion, Exotec is one of those special companies, where the founders’ backgrounds, company culture, outstanding technology, delighted customers and a rapidly changing market make it a very unique investment.” 83North is backed by renowned investors such as Dell Technologies Capital.

Scott Darling, President of Dell Technologies Capital, added: “Exotec is revolutionizing the adoption of robotics through its innovative and unique technology. Having relied heavily on world-class R&D skills aligned with solid industrial processes, Exotec is at the forefront of this burgeoning market and clearly the leader in the field.”

Adding to this, Julien-David Nitlech, Managing Partner at Iris Capital noted, “Exotec has proven they can address their market needs in many new ways in the past year, scaling in very selective markets such as Japan or food distribution. We are confident that this new round will fuel yet another record growth phase across three continents.”

Final notes from François Paulus, Founding-Partner at Breega who added “As Exotec’s earliest investors, we are both delighted and proud to witness first-hand Exotec’s trailblazing growth and expansion into international markets. Founders Romain and Renaud have been able to meet growing demands while building and scaling a great team in record time. We’re looking forward to seeing what progress this latest fundraise brings”.

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Categories: News

TFS enters partnership in the US with the Duke Clinical Research Institute

Ratos

2020-09-29

TFS has entered into a strategic partnership with the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) in North Carolina, US, to provide data management solutions in clinical trials.

The unique collaboration expands TFS’s capability to execute clinical trials for both commercial and government sponsors in the U.S. It supports the company’s growth strategy and further develops its scientific offering. Duke Clinical Research Institute is a world-renowned research institute, recognized for bringing innovation to clinical trial design and execution.

“DCRI is known for ushering in new and innovative approaches to clinical research, and TFS is a leader in providing quality clinical development services through operational excellence and a customer-centric approach. TFS data management solutions ensure quality data services while it continues to push boundaries in study design and management as part of our shared mission to serve patients throughout the world,” says Bassem Saleh, TFS Chief Executive Officer.

“The partnership with Duke Clinical Research Institute is a strategic step toward expanding TFS’ service offering in North America and it opens up doors for further collaboration. TFS provides tailored solutions and is well-positioned to manage complex global studies. The recent agreement strengthens our US presence, while leveraging the European capabilities,” says Joakim Twetman, Head of Business Area Industry at Ratos.

For further information, please contact:
Joakim Twetman, Head of Business Area Industry, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 00
Helene Gustafsson, Head of IR and Press, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 98, helene.gustafsson@ratos.se

About TFS:
TFS is a global, mid-sized, clinical contract research organisation (CRO) that supports biotech companies through the entire clinical development process. TFS focuses its scientific and medical competence across a broad therapeutic spectrum, with industry-leading capabilities in dermatology, oncology and ophthalmology. TFS has two business Areas: Clinical Development Services (CDS), which offers clinical trials for small pharmaceutical companies during the development process, and Strategic Resourcing Solutions (SRS), which offers resource solutions featuring clinical professionals and targeting major pharmaceutical companies. Over the past five years, TFS has been involved in approximately 1,100 studies in 40 countries across Europe and North America.

About Ratos:
Ratos is a business group consisting of 12 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer & Technology and Industry. In total, the companies have SEK 38 billion in sales and EBITA of SEK 1.8 billion. Our business concept is to develop mid-sized companies headquartered in the Nordics that are or can become market leaders. We enable independent mid-sized companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas for Ratos. Everything we do is based on Ratos’s core values: Simplicity, Speed in Execution and It’s All About People.

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