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StageBio and Tox Path Specialists Merge

Two market leaders join forces to meet the growing demand for high-quality histopathology and neuropathology services in the preclinical therapeutics market

StageBio and Tox Path logos

JACKSON, VA and FREDERICK, MD (USA) – April 10, 2019 – StageBio has merged with Tox Path Specialists, LLC (TPS) to create the leading provider of research and preclinical histology, pathology, specialized neuropathology and archiving services for the biopharmaceutical, medical device and contract research industries. StageBio was recently created by the merger of Histo-Scientific Research Laboratories (HSRL) and Vet Path Services (VPS) and is a portfolio company of Ampersand Capital Partners.

“We are very excited to merge operations with Dr. Mark Butt and his team at Tox Path Specialists as we continue to broaden our service offerings to both new and existing clients,” said Tom Galati, StageBio CEO. “It is our intent to position StageBio as the most capable histopathology company in the industry”.

Dr. Mark Butt, Founder & CEO of Tox Path Specialists, commented, “StageBio and TPS are a natural fit. The broad spectrum of histopathology services of StageBio coupled with our specialty neuropathology capabilities are a great match and will further streamline the research process for our clients”. The merger adds laboratory space in Frederick, MD, and more importantly adds staff with vast experience in specialty neuropathology techniques to complement the StageBio team based in Virginia, Ohio and Massachusetts. The combined business has over 20 board-certified pathologists and a total employee base of over 100.

About StageBio

StageBio is the leading provider of GLP-compliant research and preclinical histology, pathology and specimen archiving services for the biopharmaceutical, medical device and contract research industries. We provide our customers with a fully-integrated breadth of histopathology services, including tissue analysis, efficacy determination for new compounds and devices, toxicological evaluation of products subject to FDA approval, detailed pathology reporting for GLP studies, medical device pathology and immunohistochemistry. We operate four state-of-the-art sites in the US, with substantial continued investment in our facility and technology infrastructures to meet the growing demand for high-quality histopathology services. With more than 20 board-certified veterinary pathologists and over 50 laboratory technicians on staff, we are ideally positioned to deliver on our unified commitment to quality, scientific integrity and customer service excellence. Additional information about StageBio is available at www.stagebio.com.

About Tox Path Specialists

Founded in 2006, TPS is one of the leading neuropathology laboratories in North America. Founded and led by Dr. Mark Butt, TPS specializes in comprehensive evaluations of the central and peripheral nervous system. TPS is a full-service GLP histopathology laboratory, offering expertise in histology, pathology immunohistochemistry, image analysis and stereology. Its staff consists of 2 board-certified (ACVP) veterinary pathologists, 6 highly-trained histology technicians as well as dedicated Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) units, all of whom are committed to quality work, excellent customer service and meeting demanding timelines. Additional information about TPS is available at www.toxpath.net.

About Ampersand Capital Partners

Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle market private equity firm dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector. With offices in Boston, MA and Amsterdam, Netherlands, Ampersand leverages a unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies across each of its core healthcare sectors, including Brammer Bio, Confluent Medical, Genewiz, Genoptix, Talecris Biotherapeutics and Viracor-IBT Laboratories. Additional information about Ampersand is available at ampersandcapital.com.

For further information contact:

Sam Jeffrey
Director of Corporate Development
info@stagebio.com

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Hengli Investments Holding Group and Gaw Capital Partners Close Acquisition of Cityplaza Three & Four in Hong Kong

Gaw Capital

April 11, 2019, Hong Kong – Hengli Investments Holding (Group) Ltd. (“Hengli Group”) and real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners, through a fund under its management, today closed the acquisition of portions of Cityplaza Three (including 10 high zone office floors and commercial areas) and Cityplaza Four from Swire Properties. The partners closed the acquisition of the two office towers for HK$15 billion, amounting to an average price of around HK$19,350 per sq. ft.

Located in the growing business center of Taikoo Shing in Hong Kong’s Eastern District, the two 22-storey Grade-A office towers have a combined GFA of around 775,000 sq. ft. and enjoy views over the Victoria Harbor with direct walkways connecting the buildings to Tai Koo MTR station and Cityplaza shopping mall. With the recent opening of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, the towers also have quick and convenient access to the Central business district.

Chang Wei Chen, Chairman of Hengli Investments Holding (Group) Ltd., said, “Record-high rents in traditional business areas have created demand for more cost-effective and spacious Grade-A office buildings in emerging commercial districts, creating huge potential for areas like Taikoo Shing. Working closely with Gaw Capital’s team, we look forward to adding strategic value to Cityplaza Three and Four through property enhancement work, leveraging the towers’ attractive location in the fast-growing Eastern District to capture this new wave of tenants. This investment is one of the long-holding properties of our Group in Hong Kong, which provides continuous stable rental returns.”

Mr. Chen, possessing over 30 years of experience in investment, industrial and commercial sectors and real estate development, is the key decision maker on strategic development for Hengli Group. Mr. Chen is currently the second-largest shareholder of Wanda Hotel. Wanda Hotel is principally engaged in property development, property letting, property management and investment holding activities.

Kenneth Gaw, President and Managing Principal of Gaw Capital Partners, said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Hengli Group to purchase portions of Cityplaza Three (including 10 high zone office floors and commercial areas) and Cityplaza Four and to reposition them into attractive office space that appeals to the new wave of businesses moving into Taikoo district. Riding on the properties’ promising location, we will deploy a creative approach to asset management that strengthens the buildings’ pull factors and makes them a key destination for firms that are looking to relocate to the Eastern District.”

Gaw Capital has over 13 years of experience investing in and/or turning around commercial properties in Greater China, including Hong Kong. The firm successfully transformed and repositioned properties such as 133 Wai Yip Street in Hong Kong, a former 12-storey industrial building turned creative office space; and Sky Bridge HQ, a mixed-use project located in the heart of Linkong Economic Park in Shanghai. In recent years, the firm also purchased 29 local Hong Kong shopping malls from Link REIT, which it intends to reposition and revitalize into attractive hubs of community life.

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The Carlyle Group Agrees to Sell vwd, a Provider of Innovative Software Solutions to the Investment Industry, to Infront

Carlyle

Carlyle Supported vwd‘s Development to Become a Significant European Information and Technology Solutions Provider

London/Frankfurt – Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) announced today that it has agreed to sell vwd Vereinigte Wirtschaftsdienste GmbH (vwd), a European provider of software solutions for investment professionals, to Infront ASA (Infront). Infront is a European market leader for real-time market data, trading, news and analytics applications based in Oslo, Norway. The transaction is subject to approval from the relevant antitrust and financial regulatory authorities.

Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, vwd is a provider of software for the investment industry. With its intuitive solutions on a modular technology platform, vwd empowers wealth management and investment professionals to make smarter, more efficient and regulatory-compliant investment decisions.

Carlyle invested in vwd in 2012 through Carlyle Europe Technology Partners II (CETP II), a pan-European small & mid-market buyout fund dedicated to investing in technology-focused B2B companies with annual revenues of €15 to €150 million. The CETP team has extensive global experience in the management of technology companies, as well as in German-speaking countries.

Infront was founded by CEO Kristian Nesbak and CIO Morten Lindeman in 1998 and is listed on the Oslo stock exchange. It is a leading market data and trading solution provider in the Nordics with customers in more than 50 countries.

In this new strategic partnership, vwd’s comprehensive offering covering data & feed, portfolio & advisory, regulatory & calculation and publication & distribution solutions will be complemented by Infront’s best-in-class market data and trading solutions. vwd will therefore be able to continue pursuing its unified platform product strategy with Infront adding a highly sophisticated front-office trading product suite. Both vwd and Infront customers will benefit from the two companies combining their sector-defining capabilities across regulation, private wealth management and market data.       

Kristian Nesbak, Infront CEO, commented: “The merger of vwd and Infront will allow us to create one of the largest and most relevant players in Europe. Our highly complementary product solutions and core markets will enable us to pursue an ambitious common growth plan.”   

Shiva Ramabadran, vwd CEO said: “Joining forces with Infront will allow us to be an even stronger partner for our customers who will greatly benefit from a more diversified solutions offering. Due to vwd’s significant contributions to the new combined entity, we will be able to continue fulfilling all customer requests and be on the ground in our core markets.”   

Thorsten Dippel, Managing Director of the Carlyle Europe Technology Partners (CETP) team said: “Infront is an ideal partner for vwd. We are delighted to see that Infront will support and accelerate vwd’s successful strategic development. We would like to thank vwd’s management team for their trust and cooperation during our successful partnership and wish vwd and Infront continued future success.” 

vwd’s management team will be fully integrated into the new joint executive team and will remain as ongoing contacts for all vwd customers and business partners.

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Media contacts:

Catherine Armstrong
T +44 20 7894 1632, catherine.armstrong@carlyle.com

Katharina Gebsattel
T +49 172 718 68 57, katharina.gebsattel@vub.de

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across four business segments: Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions. With $216 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2018, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of our investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,650 people in 31 offices across six continents.

Web: www.carlyle.com
Videos: www.youtube.com/onecarlyle
Tweets: www.twitter.com/onecarlyle
Podcasts: www.carlyle.com/about-carlyle/market-commentary

About Infront

Infront provides a unique combination of global market data, news, analytics and trading tools. With over 20 years of product development driven by our clients’ business needs, the Infront Professional Terminal is the most user-friendly and flexible terminal in the financial market. We help buy-side and sell-side institutions grow their businesses, reduce costs, adapt to fast changing market requirements and work more effectively with ever-increasing amounts of information. Over 40,000 professional subscribers worldwide rely on Infront’s services. Infront is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and has offices in eight countries across Europe and South Africa.

About vwd

vwd is a leading software provider for the investment industry, With its intuitive solutions on a modular technology platform, vwd empowers wealth management and investment professionals to make smarter, more efficient and regulatory compliant investment decisions. Headquartered in Frankfurt, vwd has offices in 6 countries where it serves more than 2,400 businesses with data, services and software solutions.

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Bregal Partners announces closing of its second Fund with $650 million of commitments

Bregal Partners

New York, NY, April 11, 2019 – Bregal Partners today announced the closing of its second fund, Bregal Partners II LP. The fund closed on $650 million of capital commitments sourced from its current limited partners. The $650 million brings Bregal Partners to a total of $1.25 billion in committed capital under management.

“Our team is proud and appreciative of the support we’ve received from our limited partners,” said Scott Perekslis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Bregal Partners. “We sincerely value these relationships and the confidence our investors have shown in our team and investment strategy.”

Charles Yoon, Managing Partner at Bregal Partners, added, “We are long-term partners to entrepreneurs, founders, and management teams, working with them to build and scale their businesses. Fund II is off to a great start having already invested in three founder-owned platforms in the consumer, food and retail industries.”

About Bregal Partners

Bregal Partners is a leading middle-market private equity firm with $1.25 billion in total committed capital. Founded in 2012, the firm specializes in three core verticals: consumer and multi-unit, food and beverage, and business services. The firm invests in primarily founder-owned companies within its target industries that generate $5 to $75 million or more of EBITDA. Bregal Partners is committed to promoting corporate social responsibility in all aspects of its business. For more information, please visit www.bregalpartners.com.

About Bregal Investments

Bregal Investments is a global private equity investment firm with investment teams based in New York, London, Munich and Dallas, managing commitments on behalf of several limited partners. Bregal Investments is an operating company of COFRA, a privately held group of companies headquartered in Europe which also include a global fashion retail business (C&A) and real estate business (Redevco).

Bregal Investments’ investment teams specialize in private equity buy-outs, special situations, credit, energy and private equity fund investing. The firm focuses on transforming and growing businesses for future success, with its funds focusing on longer-term value creation. Bregal was founded in 2002 and has grown extensively since then, with approximately $16 billion invested to date. For more information, please visit www.bregal.com.

Contact:
Antonia Schwartz
Director, Head of Capital Development
(212) 704-3014
antonia.schwartz@bregal.com

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Genstar Capital Announces Acquisition of Ohio Transmission Corporation in Partnership with Management

OTC to Benefit from Accelerating Industry Demand for Factory Automation

SAN FRANCISCO, April 9, 2019—Genstar Capital, a leading private equity firm focused on investments in targeted segments of the industrial technology, healthcare, software, and financial services industries, today announced the acquisition of Ohio Transmission Corporation (OTC), an industrial automation equipment distributor and technical service provider.

Ohio Transmission Corporation is a leading technical distributor of highly engineered products including motion control, pumps, finishing products, robotics, motors and air compressors.  OTC serves over 13,000 customers across diverse end-markets, providing highly technical sales consultation and aftermarket repair and services. Key end markets include transportation, industrial machinery, metals, chemicals, and food & beverage among others.  Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, OTC’s geographic footprint includes 38 branch locations in 17 states.

Rob Rutledge, Managing Director at Genstar said, “OTC operates at a pivotal point in the manufacturing sector, benefiting suppliers looking to partner with distributors with broader product and service capabilities and customers who are increasingly relying on distributors with strong technical resources.  The company provides a leading brand portfolio of highly technical products, value added services and specialized solutions with a proven track record of adding new product categories.  We look forward to supporting management’s strategy of product and geographic expansion organically as well as through strategic acquisitions to better serve OTC’s customers.”

Philip Derrow, Chief Executive Officer of OTC, said, “My father founded a company that for nearly 60 years has operated with an established culture and values rooted in integrity, achievement, and growth.  Genstar has direct experience working with industrial technology companies like ours and we look forward to working with their investment and operating partners to capitalize on numerous growth opportunities to broaden our geographic reach and enhance our technical solutions offerings to better serve our customers and suppliers and create opportunities for our associates.”

OTC has been a successful integrator, completing 16 successful acquisitions since 2010, and maintains a robust pipeline of actionable platform enhancing opportunities.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as legal counsel to Genstar Capital in the acquisition.

About Genstar Capital

Genstar Capital (www.gencap.com) is a leading private equity firm that has been actively investing in high quality companies for over 30 years.  Based in San Francisco, Genstar works in partnership with its management teams and its network of strategic advisors to transform its portfolio companies into industry-leading businesses. Genstar currently has approximately $17 billion of assets under management and targets investments focused on targeted segments of the industrial technology, healthcare, software, and financial services industries.

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MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Contact: Chris Tofalli
Chris Tofalli Public Relations
914-834-4333

 

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Ratos sells property to Swedish state

Ratos

As previously announced, Ratos has been in negotiations with the National Property Board of Sweden regarding a possible transfer of ownership of its Stockholm Lejonet 4 property to the Swedish state. Following these negotiations, an agreement has now been reached for the Swedish state to purchase the property. The agreement is conditional on the National Property Board receiving authorisation to complete the agreement from the Swedish government, upon approval from parliament, by 19 July 2019 at the latest.

Ratos will receive 550 MSEK in conjunction with the sale. The consolidated book value for the property at 31 December 2018 was 56 MSEK.

“The Stockholm Lejonet 4 property was acquired by Söderberg & Haak in 1938 and by Ratos AB (publ) in 1980. The security requirements in the area surrounding the property have gradually increased, resulting in a number of restrictions and obstacles in terms of how the property can be used, including entry and exit restrictions. Allowing the National Property Board to take over the property is therefore a logical alternative”, says Jonas Wiström, CEO of Ratos.

Ratos has the option to remain in the property until the end of 2021.

For further information, please contact:
Jonas Wiström, CEO, Ratos, +46 8 700 17 00
Helene Gustafsson, Head of IR and Press, Ratos, +46 70 868 40 50

About Ratos:
Ratos owns and develops unlisted medium-sized companies in the Nordic countries. Our goal as an active owner is to contribute to long-term and sustainable operational development in the companies we invest in and to make value-generating transactions. Ratos’s portfolio consists of 12 medium-sized Nordic companies and the largest segments in terms of sales are Construction, Industrials and Consumer goods/Commerce. Ratos is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and has approximately 12,300 employees.

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ICG Europe VII, in partnership with Mérieux Equity Partners, buys DOC Generici from CVC Fund VI

Doc Generici one of Italy’s largest independent generic pharmaceutical companies

Intermediate Capital Group’s Europe VII Fund is pleased to announce it has, in partnership with Mérieux Equity Partners and DOC Generici’s management team, agreed to invest in Doc Generici, one of Italy’s largest independent generic pharmaceutical companies – subject to antitrust approval.

DOC Generici provides drugs for the treatment of common medical conditions with a broad product portfolio and a strong presence in areas including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal/metabolism and neurological treatments. The company operates an asset-light model and benefits from a consolidated network of suppliers.

This is the seventh deal for the Europe VII fund, which provides long term financing for growing private companies across Europe. The fund closed with €4.5bn of commitments in November 2018.

Luigi Bartone, Head of Italian Subordinated Debt & Equity Investments, said: “DOC Generici exhibits the classic characteristics we look for in an investment. The company is well established, highly cash generative, and led by a best-in class, committed management team. It benefits from a resilient and growing market driven by the ongoing penetration of generics in the Italian pharmaceutical market. We believe there are significant opportunities to continue to grow the business, and ICG resources and global networks will support management’s and Mérieux’s vision.”

Benoît Durteste, Chief Executive and Chief Investment Officer of ICG, said: “This is a significant deal for Europe Fund VII and a milestone deal for ICG in Italy. It demonstrates how our local teams continue to find attractive investment opportunities across Europe which have the potential to produce strong growth and enable us to deliver on behalf of our fund investors.”

Benoît Chastaing, Senior Partner at Merieux Equity Partners, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with ICG and DOC Generici management team, to invest in one of the leaders within the Italian Generic market. DOC Generici clearly improves access for patients to high-value medicine, this is in line with Mérieux Participations 3 investment strategy, recently set-up to support fast-growing companies within the healthcare and nutrition markets. This transaction also constitutes the first landmark investment of Mérieux Equity Partners in Italy. We will share our expertise and industrial network with Doc Generici and ICG over the coming years.”

Giorgio De Palma, Senior Managing Director at CVC said: “DOC Generici is a high-quality business with strong organic growth and high cash generation led by an outstanding management team. The launch of two new branded franchises in Ophthalmology and Cardiovascular Medicine have further strengthened DOC’s market position over the last three years. We thank Gualtiero Pasquarelli and the rest of the management team for the ongoing success of DOC Generici and wish them all the best for the future”.

Gualtiero Pasquarelli, CEO at DOC Generici, said: “We would like to thank CVC for their support, which has been instrumental in the acceleration of DOC’s growth strategy. DOC Generici has delivered very solid results in terms of sales and EBITDA, outperforming the reference market, and has significant potential for further growth. We now look forward to working with ICG and Mérieux in the next stage of our development.”

Barclays acted as sole financial adviser for ICG, Studio Gattai Minoli Agostinelli and Latham & Watkins as legal advisor. White&Case acted as legal advisor to Mérieux Equity Partners. Legance Studio Legale Associato acted as legal advisor and Studio Facchini Rossi & Soci acted as tax advisor for CVC.

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Everstone Group to acquire controlling stake in Sahyadri Hospitals

Everstone

Mumbai, April 07, 2019 – The Everstone Group(Everstone), has signed an agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Sahyadri Hospitals Limited(Sahyadri), the largest hospital chain in Maharashtra. The combination of primary and secondary capital outlay is expected to increase the bed-count significantly in next five years.

Founded in 1994, Pune headquartered Sahyadri Hospitals currently operates 5 tertiary care and 3 secondary care hospitals with 750 beds across Pune (Deccan Gymkhana, Nagar Road, Kothrud, Bibwewadi, Kasba Peth and Hadapsar), Nashik and Karad areas. Sahyadri has more than 1000 clinicians along with 2300 supporting staff providing latest medical services.

Sameer Sain, CEO, Everstone Group, said, “Sahyadri Hospitals is a reputed name for quality healthcare and will act as the anchor asset of our healthcare delivery platform. Everstone will leverage its’ significant healthcare expertise and experience to grow the overall business. We look forward to working closely with our partners and stakeholders.”

Commenting on the investment, Dr. Charudutt Apte, Founder, Chairman and MD, Sahyadri Hospitals said, “We are excited about this partnership and the value Everstone Group brings. Sahyadri Hospitals looks forward to the next phase of growth with the support of the experienced team at Everstone.”

According to industry estimates, private secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery in India is expected to grow from USD 42 bn in 2018 to USD 65 bn by 2022 at a CAGR of ~12%. This investment will help Sahyadri to cement its position as the leading healthcare chain in Maharashtra.

Everstone is one of the largest India and South East Asia focused healthcare investor specializing in rolling up assets within their platforms. In 2015, Everstone successfully exited Global Hospitals, a large multi-specialty tertiary hospital chain, generating strong returns. Everstone’s healthcare portfolio includes controlling stakes in domestic pharma distribution platform, Ascent Health; South East Asia based diagnostic device platform Everlife and an investment in one of the largest nutraceutical ingredient business, OmniActive. Everstone recently announced its successful exit from Rubicon Research (Rubicon) generating returns of 4.5x.

About Everstone Group
Everstone is a premier investment group focused on India and South East Asia, with assets in excess of US$5 billion across private equity, real estate, green infrastructure and venture capital. Everstone has a significant resource base across its seven offices in Singapore, India (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore), London, New York and Mauritius, comprising best-of-breed investing, operations and strategic resources with significant experience and skills. For more information, visit www.everstonecapital.com
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About Sahyadri Hospitals
Sahyadri Hospitals is the largest chain of hospitals in Maharashtra with 8 hospitals across three cities of Pune, Nashik and Karad. The hospital chain has over 900 Beds, 1,200 Clinicians and 2,300 Support Staff providing round the clock healthcare.
To know more: www.sahyadrihospital.com

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SupplyStack raises €5 million to continue expansion in Europe

Fortino Capital

Antwerp, April 6th 2019 – SupplyStack announces the closing of its series A funding round of €5 million, led by Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen and Mainport Innovation Fund and existing investor Fortino Capital. SupplyStack delivers an easy-to-integrate and flexible visibility solution that monitors transport orders in real-time. “SupplyStack helps supply chain and customer service departments to contribute to a better customer experience and overall supply chain collaboration. With this new funding in place, we can tap into new European markets and go after our ultimate goal: turning the supply chain into a competitive differentiator and putting the end customer first”, explains Nick Poels, CEO of SupplyStack.  

Visibility and collaboration

SupplyStack announces the closing of its series A funding round of €5 million, led by Participatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen and Mainport Innovation Fund and existing investor Fortino Capital. SupplyStack launched its software in 2013 with the goal of helping B2B organisations obtain supply chains that are predictive, data-driven, deeply automated and continuously optimizing for business returns and environmental impact. The SupplyStack interface uses visibility and collaboration as a core capability to drive transport execution and automate work where possible. “It’s our mission to remove friction in the supply chain. We bring users, systems and data together to offer end-to-end, real-time transport visibility that drives outcomes”, states Nick Poels, CEO of SupplyStack.

Last year, SupplyStack was recognized as a notable vendor by Gartner in the ‘European Context for Transportation Management System’. Currently, numerous leaders in the industry, including Sony, Umicore, DHL, Duracell and Atlas Copco, are using SupplyStack to accomplish their transport management. Transportation management systems (TMS) are becoming less expensive and easier to own. Now, companies of any size can get in the game. “As we evangelise customer centricity to our customers, it’s our duty to practise what we preach. We want to provide an exceptional user experience so users don’t simply adopt SupplyStack. They have to love it because it’s effortless and intuitive.”

Supply chain as a competitive advantage

For today’s companies a competitive operation cost is key but according to SupplyStack a customer-centric supply chain is what should be the strategic business priority. As B2C experiences are influencing B2B expectations – also known as “The Amazon Effect” – the current supply chain systems are under pressure. According to Gartner, 75% of B2B organizations have immature capabilities when it comes to customer experience management. As customer retention is cheaper than acquisition, actively investing in customer satisfaction offers great value.

“In general, corporate customer experience is managed by the sales and marketing departments, in spite of the fact that the supply chain plays a key role in the customer journey. Organisations should realise that a late delivery can disrupt or disappoint and that an expedited delivery can delight or save a life. Putting the customer first will turn your supply chain into a competitive advantage”, explains Poels.

LogTech is the new FinTech

The investment is a testimony to how quickly the logistics technology sector is growing. The industry is experiencing an influx of venture capital and new companies that has never been experienced before. “Logistic technology venture capital investments have seen rapid growth for the past few years. It’s an industry that has been historically slow-moving: using spreadsheets, emails, and phone calls. This is rapidly changing now: LogTech is becoming what FinTech was 10 years ago”, states Poels.

“The last few years have been fantastic. Together with our clients, we are building the technology, growing the team and finding our unique spot,” says Poels. “We’re really motivated to give supply chain and customer service professionals true satisfaction by providing them with the tools to be successful in their everyday job. It’s time to co-create a new normal within the transportation management industry.”

Growth potential

This new round of investment will allow SupplyStack to expand further in the countries in which they are already present, not to mention tapping into new European markets.

Fortino Capital is investing in SupplyStack for the second time. “We have supported the management team over the past three years and are excited to assist them during the next phase of further scaling-up  their company. The team has the skills and focus to drive digitalisation in the logistics sector, and deliver a more efficient supply chain to its clients,” says Steven De Troyer, Investment Director at Fortino Capital.

“We strongly believe in SupplyStack, not only because their technology delivers freight cost savings for the customer, but also because SupplyStack puts customer focus and customer information at the heart of its business”, explains Isabelle Tennstedt, Senior Investment Manager atParticipatiemaatschappij Vlaanderen. “That is exactly what determines whether a company can distinguish itself from the competition in a digital age.”

SupplyStack can also count on support from the Netherlands with investments from Mainport Innovation Fund (Schiphol, KLM, the Port of Amsterdam, NS and TU Delft). “This is the first time we’re investing in a Belgian start-up. The growth that SupplyStack has been able to achieve in only a few years’ time is impressive, along with the fact that SupplyStack – instead of other established software providers – earned the trust of large organisations to support them in their logistics operations”, says Thijs Gitmans, Fund Manager at Mainport Innovation Fund.

About SupplyStack

SupplyStack delivers an easy-to-integrate and flexible visibility solution that monitors transport orders in real-time in order to facilitate collaboration, drive execution and automates work where possible. Currently, numerous leaders in the industry, including Sony, Umicore, DHL, Duracell and Atlas Copco, are using SupplyStack to accomplish their logistics and transport management. In 2018, SupplyStack was recognized as a notable vendor by Gartner in their ‘European Context for Transportation Management System’.

For more information: www.supplystack.com

About Fortino Capital

Fortino Capital invests in small and medium-sized businesses with growth potential, across Europe with a focus on Benelux. Fortino Capital believes in the potential of visionary entrepreneurs with a focus on technology, E-commerce and digital transformation. Fortino Capital brings a strengthening of capital, expertise and experience in the areas of innovation, strategy and growth.

For more information: www.fortino.be

About PMV

PMV is an investment company focussed on the economic future of Flanders. PMV finances promising companies from the very start to growth and internationalization. PMV offers tailor-made financial solutions for every entrepreneur with a solid business plan and a strong management team, by providing (venture) capital, loans or guarantees. PMV has a portfolio of about EUR 1.2 billion in assets under management.

For more information: www.pmv.eu

About Mainport Innovation Fund II

MIF II aims to accelerate innovation in logistics, transport and aviation. It was founded in 2015 by Schiphol, KLM, TU Delft, NS and Port of Amsterdam, together with NBI Investors, the fund manager. MIF II has invested in ViriCiti, Mobian, We4Sea, Synple, C Teleport and SupplyStack. Its predecessor Mainport Innovation Fund I has invested in Casper (exit), Multi Pilot Simulations (exit), Versa (previously FastTrack Company), Ampyx Power (exit), Robin Radar, MI Airline, Snocom, Eye on Air, Undagrid and Calendar42 (exit).

For more information: www.mainportinnovationfund.nl and www.nbi-investors.nl

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Carlyle Cardinal Ireland Invests in Sports Surgery Clinic

Carlyle

Specialist Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Hospital To Focus on Continued Growth of Patient Services and Facilities

Dublin, Ireland – Carlyle Cardinal Ireland (CCI), the private equity fund established by The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) and Cardinal Capital Group, has agreed to an investment in Sports Surgery Clinic (SSC), a private hospital specialising in orthopaedic surgery, spinal surgery and sports medicine.  The investment, terms of which are not being disclosed, is expected to complete in the coming months.

SSC, located in Santry, Dublin, is a state-of-the-art private hospital dedicated to orthopaedics and sports medicines.  Launched in 2007, SSC introduced world-class facilities and treatment into Ireland for orthopaedic joint-replacement surgery, spinal surgery and sports medicine.  The hospital has quickly grown to become a premier provider of both sports medicine and orthopaedic joint-replacement surgery in Ireland with a reputation for leading-edge innovation and highest standards of patient care.

Facilities at SSC include five ultra-clean-air operating theatres dedicated to orthopaedic and spinal surgical procedures, a diagnostic-imaging service including two 3-Tesla MRI scanners and a 64-slice CT scanner, and an expansive physiotherapy and rehabilitation department incorporating wellness and health-screening facilities.  A recently developed sports medicine-dedicated laboratory provides performance rehabilitation, running clinics, fitness testing and physiotherapy services.  Currently employing over 300 people, SSC’s capacity comprises 63 in-patient beds, 26 day-care beds and 21 on-site consultancy suites.

Jonathan Cosgrave, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group and John Dolan, Managing Director, Cardinal Capital Group, will join the board of directors of SSC upon completion of the investment.

Dr. Josh Keaveny, Chief Executive, SSC said: “With our patient-focused model of care we are continuously exploring the science and medicine related to sports injuries, athletic performance, joint replacement and spinal injury.  We aim to keep people of all ages fit and active.  The investment from CCI allows us to accelerate our growth and we plan to begin work in the near future on expanding the hospital.  This expansion will significantly increase our capacity which will enable us to treat more patients.”

John Dolan, Managing Director, Cardinal Capital Group, said: “CCI’s financial backing of SSC’s expansion plan will add two additional theatres, which will increase surgical capacity by 40%, meaning more of the population can readily access the hospital’s leading facilities and consultants.  With an increased focus on exercise and wellness, more and more people are looking for restorative procedures, particularly knee and hip replacements, and shoulder surgery.  SSC’s specialist orthopaedic and rehabilitation expertise has allowed it establish a national reputation for treating injuries in both professional and amateur athletes, and members of the wider population.”

Jonathan Cosgrave, Managing Director, The Carlyle Group, said: “SSC is CCI’s second healthcare sector investment and we are excited to be partnering with such a high quality, ambitious management team and group of staff.  Planned increases to SSC’s operating capacity will expand SSC’s workforce and we look forward to adding new consultants, nurses and other healthcare professionals to the SSC team.  The Irish population aged over 65 years is forecast to increase 45% by 2030 driving a significant increase in annual demand for hip and knee joint replacements, and SSC’s management team and staff are well positioned to service this growing patient demand.”

CCI has been an active growth investor in the Irish market since 2014.  SSC is the fund’s tenth investment and the fund continues to explore other investment opportunities.  Current fund investments include The AA Ireland, Payzone, Carroll Cuisine, Learning Pool, McCauley Pharmacy Group, Abtran and Millicent Pharma.  CCI previously invested in Lily O’Brien’s and General Secure Logistics Services (GSLS), both high-growth companies run by first-class management teams, each of which underwent an exit process in 2018.

CCI’s investment in SSC is subject to approval from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).

* * * * *

Press Contacts:

The Carlyle Group
Laurie Mannix, MKC Communications
Tel: +353 (0)1 703 8620 Mob: +353 (0)86 814 3710 laurie@mkc.ie

Cardinal Capital Group
Tom McEnaney, McEnaney Media
Tel: +353 (0)87 2222 666 tom@tommcenaney.com

About Sports Surgery Clinic (SSC)

SSC’s goal is dedicated to delivering the highest standards of diagnosis, prehabilitation, treatment, rehabilitation and full recovery care for its patients.  The hospital aims to provide an exceptional working environment for staff with a focus on continuous education and quality improvement to support excellence in patient care.

SSC’s facilities are built with optimised patient outcomes in mind.  They include five ultra clean-air operating theatres, a world-class diagnostic imaging department, an expansive physiotherapy department, a wellness and health screening facility, as well as dedicated research laboratories which highlight the commitment that SSC places on promoting future breakthroughs in orthopaedic surgery.

SSC offers patients all the advantages of the newest technologies, including 21 on-site consulting rooms that ensure rapid and smooth access to consultant expertise on a continuous basis.  The hospital houses some of the world’s most advanced radiology equipment including two 3-Tesla MRI scanners and a 64-slice CT scanner, both of which yield superior image quality and resolution, particularly in the diagnosis of soft tissue and orthopaedic injuries.

Patient comfort is at the heart of the service provided by the SSC.  In total, the clinic offers 63 in-patient beds in addition to 26 day-care beds.  Each patient room has its own ensuite bathroom with shower, and entertainment centre incorporating internet, radio and telephone access along with both clinic and treatment information.

About Carlyle Cardinal Ireland

Carlyle Cardinal Ireland is a joint venture between The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) and Cardinal Capital Group.  The €292 million private equity fund is focused on growth capital and buyout investment opportunities across the island of Ireland.

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across four business segments: Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions. With $216 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2018, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of our investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,650 people in 31 offices across six continents.

The Carlyle Group is a seasoned investor in the hospital sector.  Notable hospital investments include Schoen Klinik (Germany – 17 hospitals), Rede D’Or São Luiz (Brazil – 38 hospitals), Healthscope (Australia – 45 hospitals), Medical Park (Turkey – 18 hospitals) and Medanta (India – 3 hospitals, 1 Day Care Facility and 2 new hospitals under construction).

Web: www.carlyle.com
Videos: www.youtube.com/onecarlyle
Tweets: www.twitter.com/onecarlyle
Podcasts: www.carlyle.com/about-carlyle/market-commentary

About Cardinal Capital Group

Cardinal Capital Group is Ireland’s leading provider of alternative capital, directing private-equity capital, mezzanine finance and alternative lending to a broad range of sectors in the Irish market.  Cardinal invests its own capital alongside institutional funders to support entrepreneurs and corporate management teams as well as real-estate investors and developers.

Web: www.cardinalcapitalgroup.com

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