Category Archives: News

Blackstone Announces $20.5 Billion Final Close for Latest Global Real Estate Fund

Blackstone

New York, September 11, 2019  – Blackstone (NYSE: BX today announced the final close of its latest global real estate fund, Blackstone Real Estate Partners IX (“BREP IX”). BREP IX has $20.5 billion of total capital commitments — the largest real estate fund ever raised. Blackstone is also currently investing two regional opportunistic funds, the €7.9 billion BREP Europe V and the $7.2 billion BREP Asia II.

Kathleen McCarthy, Global Co-Head of Blackstone Real Estate, said, “This fundraise reflects the excellent relationships we have with our limited partners given the strong results the BREP funds have generated for them since 1991. We are grateful to our investors for their ongoing support and look forward to putting this capital to work on their behalf.”

Added Ken Caplan, Global Co-Head of Blackstone Real Estate: “Despite the challenging investment environment, we continue to see compelling opportunities around our highest conviction investment themes. BREP IX’s scale allows us to commit capital globally in a differentiated set of complex transactions.”

In June, BREP IX committed to its initial investment, the purchase of GLP’s U.S. Logistics Assets for a total of $19 billion, alongside other Blackstone vehicles. This acquisition is expected to close in the coming weeks.

About Blackstone Real Estate
Blackstone is a global leader in real estate investing. Blackstone’s real estate business was founded in 1991 and has $154 billion of investor capital under management. Blackstone is one of the largest property owners in the world, owning and operating assets across every major geography and sector, including logistics, multifamily and single family housing, office, hospitality and retail. Our opportunistic funds seek to acquire undermanaged, well-located assets across the world. Blackstone’s Core+ strategy invests in substantially stabilized real estate globally through regional open-ended funds focused on high-quality assets, and Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (BREIT), a non-listed REIT that invests in U.S. income-generating assets. Blackstone Real Estate also operates one of the leading global real estate debt businesses, providing comprehensive financing solutions across the capital structure and risk spectrum, including management of Blackstone Mortgage Trust (NYSE: BXMT).

Contacts
Jennifer Friedman
Jennifer.Friedman@blackstone.com
Tel: (212) 583-5122

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The Carlyle Group Closes Forgital Acquisition

Carlyle

Milan/Vicenza – Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) announced that it has completed the acquisition of a 100% controlling stake in Forgital, an Italian based manufacturing company producing large forged and machined components for use in the aerospace and industrial sectors, from members of the founding Spezzapria family and minority shareholder Fondo Italiano d’Investimento, managed by Neuberger Berman.

The purchase agreement, which values Forgital at approximately 1 billion Euros, was first announced on 29th May 2019. Equity for the transaction will come from Carlyle Europe Partners V (CEP V), a European-focused upper-mid market buyout fund and Carlyle Partners VII (CP VII), a US-focused buyout fund.

Established in 1873 with headquarters in Vicenza, Italy, Forgital is a specialist manufacturer of machine-finished forged and laminated rolled rings, made from several different materials, including steel, aluminium, titanium and nickel-based alloys used in several applications across many industries, including aerospace, oil & gas, construction, mining and power generation. Forgital employs over 1,100 people across 9 facilities in Italy, France and United States and through its dedicated global salesforce.

Carlyle will drive the Company’s further international expansion and strengthen its presence in the aerospace sector with Luca Zacchetti, appointed as Group CEO, effective from today. Luca Zacchetti, 58 years old, was CEO at Rhiag Group, the pan-European leader in distribution of aftermarket and spare parts, for over seven years and previously worked for almost five years at AVIO GROUP, a worldwide leader manufacturer of aero-engine components, with the role of Managing Director becoming CEO in 2007. His career includes also positions of Chairman and CEO of Tecnoforge Group and Operating Partner at Alpha Private Equity.

Filippo Penatti, Managing Director, Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team, commented: “We are excited with the appointment of Luca as CEO. We worked well and successfully together in two prior Carlyle investments, including AVIO. His experience in the aerospace industry together with his passion for Forgital’s business will contribute to fueling the Group’s platform development.”

Derek Whang, Principal on Carlyle’s Aerospace, Defense and Government Services team, said: “We look forward to partnering with Luca and all Forgital employees as we embark on this next chapter. The Company has a tremendous heritage and we are committed to upholding Forgital’s exceptional track record and delivering its mission critical parts to all customers.”

Luca Zacchetti, Forgital’s new CEO, added: “I am delighted to join Forgital, a Group with an outstanding reputation for advanced technology, high quality products and world-class customer service. I look forward to contributing to its further international expansion alongside the company’s talented team.”

For more information:

The Carlyle Group:

Barabino & Partners
Marina Riva- Federico Steiner, Tel:+39 02.72.02.35.35
Email: m.riva@barabino.it; f.steiner@barabino.it

Roderick Macmillan
+44  (0)207 894 1630

Email: roderick.macmillan@carlyle.com
About Forgital

Founded in 1873 in Vicenza, Italy by the Spezzapria family, Forgital is the leading European vertically integrated forging company, with 9 facilities in Italy, France and the USA, c. 1,100 employees worldwide and a global network of sales agencies.

Forgital specializes in forging, laminating and machining of rolled rings, with advanced capabilities across a range of materials including: carbon steels, alloy steels, stainless steels, aluminium, nickel, cobalt, copper and titanium alloys.

For more information on Forgital, please visit https://www.forgital.com/

 

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 $223 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2019, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,775 people in 33 offices across six continents.

Web: www.carlyle.com

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DIF Capital Partners to acquire 50 MW wind farm in Uruguay

DIF

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”), through its most recent fund DIF Infrastructure V, is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with Enercon and eab New Energy from Germany for the 100% acquisition of the 50 MW Cerro Grande wind farm located in eastern Uruguay.

The project, comprising 22 turbines, has been operational since January 2018 and benefits from a 20-year power purchase agreement with UTE, Uruguay’s state-owned utility. The project will continue to be operated and maintained by Enercon and asset management services continue to be provided by SEG Heliotec.

Wim Blaasse, Managing Partner of DIF Capital Partners added: “We are pleased to achieve the milestone of making our first investment in South America, following the recent opening of our South American office in Santiago (Chile). The acquisition is the result of our strong relationship with Enercon. The long-term project agreements provide a high degree of predictability of future cash flows, making this an attractive investment for DIF’s investors.”

DIF has been advised by Voltiq (transaction), Hughes & Hughes and Gómez-Acebo & Pombo (legal), DNV GL (technical), KPMG (tax), Mazars (model audit) and Aon (insurance). Enercon was advised by Ficus Capital.

Closing of the transaction is subject to receipt of usual consents from project counterparties and is expected to take place in the course of 2019.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners 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 construction and operational infrastructure assets, that generate stable and predictable cash flows, located in Europe, North America, Australasia and South America through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF Infrastructure V targets equity investments in public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, regulated utilities and renewable energy projects with long-term contracted or regulated income streams.
  • 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.

DIF has a team of over 130 professionals, based in nine offices located in Schiphol (the Netherlands), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

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

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Grove Collaborative Reaches $1B Valuation With $150M Series D

Mayfield

 

  

Grove Collaborative raised $150 million in its Series D round, bringing its valuation across the $1 billion mark.

The company, which makes natural home and personal care products, had previously raised over $60 million, according to Crunchbase.

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The new round was led by Lone Pine Capital, Glynn Capital, and General Atlantic. A new investor, Greenspring Associates, as well as existing investors Mayfield Fund , NextView Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, MHS Capital and Heron Rock Capital also participated, according to a statement from the company.

With the fresh cash, the San Francisco-based company plans to expand into clean beauty, create more sustainable packaging and products, and hire more than 100 new employees for its Grove Guide team, which answers customer questions and educates shoppers about the company’s natural products.

Grove Collaborative, which was founded in 2016, promotes its products as natural and healthier for users and better for the environment. It’s known for products like its “tree free” toilet paper made of a bamboo and sugar cane blend. Grove Collaborative has household, personal care, baby, and pet products.

The direct-to-consumer company also has a partnership with Mrs. Meyers Clean Day and sells Mrs. Meyers products on the Grove website. It competes with other e-commerce and natural products companies such as the Honest Company (aka Jessica Alba’s natural goods company).

Grove Collaborative is growing quickly, expecting its revenue to triple in 2019. The company says it grew eight-fold between May 2017 and May 2019.

The company last raised its $35 million Series C in January 2018. It raised a $6.7 million Series A in July 2016, and a $15.4 million Series B in April 2017, according to Crunchbase.

TechCrunch also reported in December that the company was quietly raising money. Filings showed that the company was raising $27.4 million and $76.4 million in 2018, in addition to its Series C.

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Esdec Acquires IronRidge and Quick Mount PV

Gilde Buy Out

 

Acquisition creates largest solar racking group in the U.S. San Francisco, CA and Phoenix, AZ — Esdec, a leading global rooftop solar mounting solutions provider, announced today that it has acquired IronRidge and Quick Mount PV, leaders in the design, engineering and manufacturing of solar mounting and racking hardware for the U.S. residential and commercial markets. The addition of IronRidge and Quick Mount PV to current Esdec company, EcoFasten, creates the largest solar mounting systems group in the U.S., representing more than 60% share of the residential market. The combined group generates revenues of over $250 million annually. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
IronRidge and Quick Mount PV will retain their executive teams and staff and continue to operate as separate entities with unique product lines and sales channels. Both companies will also retain their independent brand names while becoming “An Esdec Company.”
“IronRidge and Quick Mount PV are both well-known and well-respected brands with reputations for innovation, quality and customer service,” said Stijn Vos, CEO of Esdec. “They have played a key role in scaling the U.S. solar industry to where it is today, and our investment adds the capital depth and R&D capabilities needed for them to lead the industry’s next massive phase of growth. We welcome IronRidge and Quick Mount PV to the Esdec family and look forward to working with them.”
Esdec is one of Europe’s largest rooftop solar mounting providers, and these acquisitions also catapult the company into the U.S. market leadership position. Known for its state-of-the-art innovation center, R&D strength and intellectual property portfolio, Esdec will enable IronRidge, Quick Mount PV and EcoFasten to invest more heavily and more efficiently in new product development.
As U.S. PV capacity is expected to more than double over the next five years, the balanced portfolio of the Esdec group of companies provides installers and distributors the certainty they need for their supply chain, despite uncertain regulatory and trade environments. “Esdec acquired three different leaders in the U.S. market because we are each raising the bar on product performance and customer experience in unique ways,” said Rich Tiu, CEO of IronRidge, based in Hayward, CA. “We now have the opportunity to benefit from each other’s portfolio strengths, as well as Esdec’s, while still remaining focused on our unique innovation paths.”
“The American solar industry is among the strongest in the world, and solar hardware is a critical tool in that growth. Joining Esdec will help us continue our expansion—providing us the resources of a global company while maintaining our independence,” said Yann Brandt, CEO of Quick Mount PV. “The team at Quick Mount PV is eager to join the strength of Esdec’s innovation capabilities and to take advantage of the opportunities that economies of scale provide. Solar installers will now be able to get their racking and mounting from one family of companies to enable their massive expansion.”
Since it was founded by a group of installers in 2004, Esdec has become one of the European market leaders in residential and commercial rooftop mounting systems. Esdec entered the U.S. market in September 2018 and acquired EcoFasten in November 2018. Based in the Netherlands, Esdec’s strategy of growth through both acquisition and organic expansion has helped it achieve strong market share in several countries.

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Antares and Bain Capital Credit Support Tailwind Capital’s Acquisition of Ventiv Technology

Antares

CHICAGO & BOSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Antares Bain Capital Complete Financing Solution (ABCS), a joint venture between Antares and Bain Capital Credit, today announced the closing of a senior secured unitranche credit facility to support the acquisition of Ventiv Technology by Tailwind Capital.

“The speed and certainty of execution provided through ABCS in combination with the team’s deep technology sector knowledge made this the optimal financing solution for our Ventiv Technology investment”

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Founded in 1994 and based in Atlanta, GA with offices in Europe and Asia, Ventiv Technology is a leader in delivering innovative risk, insurance and claim software solutions to over 540 organizations and 350,000 users in more than 40 countries.

“The speed and certainty of execution provided through ABCS in combination with the team’s deep technology sector knowledge made this the optimal financing solution for our Ventiv Technology investment,” said Jim Hoch, partner with Tailwind Capital.

“The quality of Ventiv’s analytics platform and the ease of their platform integration has resulted in high levels of recurring revenue and strong, loyal customer relationships,” said Sean Sullivan, representative of the Antares Bain Capital Financing Solution. “We are pleased to support Tailwind Capital and Ventiv Technology as they continue to fuel Ventiv’s impressive growth trajectory.”

ABCS provides private equity sponsors and borrowers with access to first lien unitranche loans of up to $350 million in a single transaction. Without the requirement of agency meetings or a syndication process, the Antares and Bain Capital unitranche offering delivers capital with speed and certainty.

About Antares

With approximately $24 billion of capital under management and administration as of December 31, 2018, Antares is a private debt credit manager and leading provider of financing solutions for middle-market private equity-backed transactions. In 2018, Antares issued nearly $25 billion in financing commitments to borrowers through its robust suite of products including first lien revolvers, term loans and delayed draw term loans, 2nd lien term loans, unitranche facilities and equity investments. Antares world-class capital markets experts hold relationships with over 400 banks and institutional investors allowing the firm to structure, distribute and trade syndicated loans on behalf of its customers. Since its founding in 1996, Antares has been recognized by industry organizations as a leading provider of middle market private debt, most recently being named the 2018 Lender of the Year by ACG New York. The company maintains offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Toronto. Visit Antares at www.antares.com or follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/antarescapital. Antares Capital is a subsidiary of Antares Holdings LP., collectively (“Antares”).

About Bain Capital Credit

Bain Capital Credit (www.baincapitalcredit.com) is a leading global credit specialist with approximately $41 billion in assets under management. Bain Capital Credit invests up and down the capital structure and across the spectrum of credit strategies, including leveraged loans, high-yield bonds, distressed debt, private lending, structured products, non-performing loans and equities. Our team of more than 200 professionals creates value through rigorous, independent analysis of thousands of corporate issuers around the world. In addition to credit, Bain Capital invests across asset classes including private equity, public equity and venture capital, and leverages the firm’s shared platform to capture opportunities in strategic areas of focus. Bain Capital Credit’s dedicated Private Credit Group focuses on providing complete financing solutions to businesses with EBITDA between $10 million and $100 million located in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Our dedicated global team affords us the ability to diligence the most complex situations and provide private capital to those companies.

Contacts

Antares Capital
Carol Ann Wharton
475-266-8053
carolann.wharton@antares.com

Bain Capital Credit
Charlyn Lusk
Stanton
646-502-3549
clusk@stantonprm.com

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Fortino Capital Partners and LRM invest in FoodDESK, a Belgian data and software provider for allergen management and food safety

Fortino Capital

Antwerpen – Fortino Capital Partners and LRM invest in FoodDESK, a data and software company focused on allergen and food safety management. This new funding round will help the company to support growth in Belgium and generate international traction.

FoodDESK, founded in 2015, helps hospitals, nursery homes, restaurants, butchers and bakeries comply with food regulations (notably allergens, HACCP). FoodDESK helps its customers to digitalize these mandatory processes, while giving them access to its unique, and proprietary enriched food and allergen database, which is the cornerstone of its value proposition to help its customers providing safe and healthy food to their end-consumers.

Strict food regulation and increased demand for more transparency drive the need for solutions like FoodDESK to manage allergen and food safety, as the amount of people with food allergies are soaring. Not providing the right information can have dramatic consequences to those end consumers. Many companies still use inefficient methods such as Excel and papers to manage their food safety processes. The solution of FoodDESK allows customers to comply and become more efficient in managing food safety, while also providing them with access to a unique, comprehensive and enriched food-, nutrients- and allergen database. While there are several food databases available in the market, FoodDESK’s unique approach, with its team of dieticians combined with artificial intelligence, provides access to an enriched and always up-to-date food database, where mistakes in technical input files from food suppliers are corrected and missing information is completed.

Today, FoodDESK is active in Belgium and the Netherlands, already deploying its solution in more than 750 organizations, such as AZ Sint Jan, Imelda Ziekenhuis, UZ Leuven (?), LSG Sky Chefs, ISS Catering Services. With the support of Fortino Capital and LRM, FoodDESK will focus on building out its position in Benelux, while also setting its first steps elsewhere in Europe.

Tammo Van Leeuwen from FoodDESK concludes: “If you know that up to 5-10% of the population is affected by a food allergy, allergen management and food safety is a challenge for many organisations. We provide our customers with the appropriate tools and to manage food safety in their organizations in the best way possible. With the support of Fortino and LRM, we will be able to grow in our core markets and start internationalization beyond Benelux”

Renaat Berckmoes at Fortino Capital, explains: “FoodDESK is solving a problem in a unique way for many stakeholders in food sector, making a tedious process more efficient, while helping to enhance food safety. We look forward working together with FoodDESK and LRM to expand to grow the company into a market leader in Western-Europe”

Kathleen Vandersmissen / Dries Evens at LRM, seconds “Last year, LRM already assisted FoodDESK financially through a loan. Now we also make capital available: “The combination of the food and allergen database and the innovative tools that FoodDESK’s customers have access to, provides all the health and food industry stakeholders with a wealth of information that is crucial,” said Katleen Vandersmissen, Head of Health & Care at LRM. “The regulations are becoming stricter and the customer or patient is demanding more and more transparency and clarity. We therefore see a lot of potential for FoodDESK in Belgium and abroad in this growing market.”

About FoodDESK: 

FoodDESK is a data and software company founded in 2015 by Carl Beniest and Lambaerts Sel. FoodDESK provides data and software to comply with food regulation and they ensure end-consumer has all relevant allergen information at hand. FoodDESK has more than 750 customers located in Belgium and in The Netherlands. For more information: www.FoodDESK.be

About Fortino Capital Partners:

Fortino Capital Partners is an investment company that was founded in 2013 and is led by Duco Sickinghe, Renaat Berckmoes and Matthias Vandepitte. Fortino Capital invests in remarkable companies of today and tomorrow and actively helps companies capture opportunities. They accelerate businesses and turn ambition into growth. The company manages a venture capital fund of EUR 80 million and a digital growth fund of EUR 200 million, both with focus on software and digital transformation. Fortino Capital’s investment portfolio includes MobileXpense, Maxxton, Dobco Medical Systems, LetsBuild, Teamleader, and Bloomon among others. For more information, visit www.fortinocapital.com.

About LRM:

LRM is an investment company based in Hasselt that develops and stimulates economic growth in Limburg. They provide a solid foundation, allowing companies and projects, which create jobs in Limburg, to grow. LRM is investing in varied companies from startups to growing SME’s and larger companies. The company is mainly focused on ICT, technology, Health & Care, Smart Manufacturing and Sustainability. LRM has currently 268 companies in its portfolio. For more information: www.lrm.be

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Participation in Solex

Anders Invest

September 9, 2019

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Anders Invest

Anders Invest has acquired a controlling interest in Solex Thermal Science Inc together with its co-shareholders in Mosman. Solex, located in Calgary, Canada, like Mosman, is active in the production and sale of indirect heat exchangers for bulk solids. The expertise of Solex and Mosman are combined so that they can achieve optimum performance for their customers.

 

Solex is a global leader  in the development and sale of indirect heat exchangers for bulk solids. In addition to the application in sugar, oilseeds, and fertilizer production processes, Solex has developed heat exchangers for a wide range of other production processes, for example for coffee beans, foundry sand, and energy storage media.. The company has a great deal of expertise in the field of product development and  has a globally active sales force.

 

In its more than 25 years of existence, Solex has maintained its position as a  market leader in the field of bulk solids heat exchangers. Due to the increasing attention for energy consumption of the production processes and the desired high quality and consistency of product output, indirect heat exchangers are being used in more and more production processes. In recent years, Solex has invested heavily in the development of its technology for applications in a wide variety of bulk materials.

 

Solex and Mosman will join forces to provide optimum solutions for their customers. The locations in Calgary Canada and Haaksbergen Netherlands will remain active and the combination of capacity will enable Solex and Mosman to better serve their customers with products and services. As a result of the combination of the businesses, production of the heat exchangers will be concentrated at the Mosman facility in Haaksbergen and the expectation is that this production location will be expanded.

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Active Capital Companyand management invest in Technobis Group

ActiveCapital

Leading high-tech sensing specialist partners with hands-on investor to scale-up and commercialize unique proprietary technologyAlkmaar,

9 September2019– Technobis Group is an industrial holding based in Alkmaar, the Netherlands and is active in the development and production of high-tech measurement equipment and components. Active Capital Company (ACC) invests in Technobis to scale-up the group and enable the accelerated roll-out of its integrated photonics solutions.

Technobis develops and produces measurement equipment like crystallization systems, in order to very precisely measure the solubility properties for drug development by pharmaceutical companies and other life sciences customers. In addition, Technobis develops and manufactures turn-key medical equipment for leading European medical technology and industrial groups. Lastly, the company is the world-leader in integrated photonic sensing equipment,leveraging proprietary technology to provide sensing solutions to a range of industries such as Aerospace, Medical, Mobility and Energy markets worldwide.

Integrated photonic sensing is a fast developing technology,substituting conventional sensing technologies with factor 10,000xin frequency &resolution (accuracy) and at least ten time less weight, with very low power usage. The European Union has classified the Photonics sector as one of the key-enabling technologies and the Dutch government has included this in the HighTech Systems &Materials top-sector. Technobis is a prominent partner of Photon Delta; a Dutch public-private partnership with the aim of strengthening the ecosystem of integrated photonics. www.photondelta.eu

Together with Pim Kat (founder and former CEO of Technobis) and management,Active Capital Company is proud to announce that Parties have come to an agreement whereby Active Capital Company acquires a majority stake in Technobis Group, while management further(re)-invests in the company.This is the first investment withACC’snew fund.

Management & shareholders

As part of the transaction Mr. Daan Koppen de Neve has recently been appointed CEO of Technobis Group, thereby allowing Pim Kat tofully focus on the technological developments as the newCTO of the group. Pim Kat comments: “Together with the team at Technobis we look forward to partnering with Active Capital Company and Daan Kopp en de Neve and welcome their active support in realizing our strategic plan at an accelerated pace”. Mels Huige, Partner at Active Capital Company, comments: “We are impressed with Technobis Group’s unique technological know-how and proprietary technology developed in the course of the last decades”.

About Technobis

Technobis Group consists of three business units.Technobis System Supplier (TSS)is specialized in carrying out complete product development projects, going from an idea to a successful turn-key product, prototype or series product for medical, life-science and high-tech industries.Technobis Crystallization Systems(TCS)is a leading technology provider for solid-state research, process development and formulation. Integrated Photonic Sensing (IPS)is specialized in the research, development, engineering and production of Integrated Photonic Sensing modules and systems. The company develops and supplie sfibre optic sensing systems and applications based on its proprietary integrated photonics technology. In addition IPS is a solution provider for PIC (Photonic Integrated Circuits) evaluation & packaging by supplying dedicated and mid-range volume packaging services.

For further information about Technobis Group please visit www.technobis.com

About Active Capital Company

Active Capital Company is an independent hands-on private equity fund focused on small-and medium sized enterprises in the Netherlands and Germany. ACC invests in production companies, equipment manufacturers and technical wholesalers/distributors with revenues between € 10mand € 100m. Through a highly entrepreneurial and active approach, ACC maximizes the long-term value of its investments by supporting management in the hands-on execution of value enhancing projects. ACC currently invests from its new fund IVwhich will see its final close at the hard cap of € 85m, raised from both institutional investors and entrepreneurs.For further information about Active Capital Company please visit www.activecapitalcompany.com Note for the editors, not for publication:

For further information, please contact

Mels Huige at Huige@activecapitalcompany.com or +31625094978.

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One of A Kind Technologies expands with KOAT to accelerate Agriculture growth strategy

GIMV

09/09/2019 – 16:50 | Portfolio

2019.08.29 – One of A Kind Technologies (OOAKT) acquires KOAT B.V., an international machine- and system supplier of internal transport and material handling systems in the greenhouse horticulture.

KOAT (http://koat.nl) was founded in 1992 as ‘Koppens Ontwikkeling en Aanvoer Techniek’. The last decade the company has further developed and grown under the direction and ownership of Managing Director, Kees van Dam. KOAT develops, delivers and integrates production processing lines and internal transport systems for the horticulture greenhouse market worldwide. It has a vast experience in automating the material handling of freshly harvested crops and vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.

One of A Kind Technologies is a high-tech scale-up in Eindhoven, The Netherlands focused on Computer Vision & Robotics in its markets Agriculture, Food and Pharma. With its Crux Agribotics brand (http://cruxagribotics.com) it develops and delivers compelling and innovative robotics towards the agriculture and horticulture markets. Together with KOAT it developed the SortiPack® system which integrates Automated Grading, Sorting and Packing of Tomatoes and other crops enabling growers to scale up productivity with less dependence on human labor.

Both companies see the increasing demand for automation within the agriculture market world-wide. Increasing labor scarcity, cost and demands for flexible harvesting, packing and handling including track and tracing functionality to ensure food safety are key drivers for the companies’ growth strategies.

‘This milestone step will accelerate our capacity as leading Vision & Robotics player within the Agricultural domain’ says Alex E. Kind, CEO of One of A Kind Technologies. ‘With SortiPack® and our Robotics roadmap of end-to-end handling from harvest to packing, we are one of the frontrunners to enable new possibilities within the food processing and crop handling value chains. With KOAT joining our group, we can leverage our mutual IP, customer base and systems, providing additional value and perspective to our customers, partners and employees. We will continue to invest in R&D and local sales and service presence in key markets. Now the first SortiPack® systems have been sold successfully, we will also engage and contract designated partners and agents for specific geographical markets to ensure worldwide delivery’.

With the expansion of KOAT, the One of A Kind Technologies group comprises of 125 engineers and technicians active to deliver its technology worldwide.

“I am very satisfied, that particularly One of A Kind Technologies, being an innovative and leading high-tech company, sees the potential of KOAT. I am convinced that the future growth of KOAT is secured through this step and that KOAT will contribute to the group’s results immediately”, says Kees van Dam, former owner of KOAT.  Kees will remain in his position as Director of KOAT and will ensure, together with OOAKT Management, that the company’s strategy for the coming years will be realized.

No further details will be disclosed.

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