Ardian acquires 100% stake in CampusParc, concessionaire of the Ohio State University’s parking system

Ardian

Deal marks Ardian’s first transportation / P3 investment in the US.

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, today announces that it has acquired a 100% stake in CampusParc, the concessionaire that manages, operates, and maintains the parking facilities at The Ohio State University’s flagship campus in Columbus, Ohio. Ardian acquired the company from funds managed by QIC.

Formed in 2012 as a Public-Private-Partnership (P3), CampusParc is the first and largest university parking concession in the US with over 38,000 total parking spaces. It provides parking for students, faculty, staff and visitors at The Ohio State University – the fifth largest public university in the US with more than 90,000 students and faculty – as well as the staff and visitors at Wexner Medical Center, a nationally recognized research facility and teaching hospital located on campus.

CampusParc, which has a strong track record and working relationship with The Ohio State University and other key local stakeholders over the past 11 years, is operating under a 50-year Concession Lease Agreement, with 39 years remaining. Working alongside the management team, Ardian will support CampusParc in its overall operations to deliver essential parking solutions and maintenance of assets that drive customer satisfaction. It will also leverage digital strategies from across its infrastructure portfolio to optimize CampusParc’s operations and performance. Additionally, it will leverage its ESG expertise to implement additional sustainability initiatives for the company.

Ardian’s Infrastructure team has a long track record of experience developing and acquiring essential infrastructure assets across the global transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure sectors. This transaction will be made through the Ardian Americas Infrastructure Fund V (AAIF V) and complements Ardian’s existing infrastructure portfolio in the Americas.

“CampusParc is Ardian’s first transportation investment in the US, and it’s an ideal fit within the broader strategy of our Americas fund. We are particularly excited to work with such a strong management team and support its commitment to the growing community. We look forward to assisting CampusParc in the years ahead and working closely with The Ohio State University, a premier academic institution.” Stefano Mion, Co-Head of Infrastructure Americas, Ardian

“This transaction marks an exciting milestone for our essential infrastructure strategy in the Americas. We admire CampusParc’s innovative solutions and customer-centric approach, and together, we look forward to leveraging our collective strengths to enhance the customer experience.” Leonarda Orani, Managing Director Infrastructure, Ardian

No additional financial details were disclosed.

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

  • ARDIAN

    • FINANCIAL ADVISOR: SOLOMON PARTNERS
    • LEGAL: ORRICK
    • TECHNICAL: BTY GROUP
    • COMMERCIAL & MARKET: ALG
    • FINANCIAL: PWC
    • TAX: LEO BERWICK
    • INSURANCE: ALLIANT

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $166bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,600 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian’s main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.
At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

MEDIA CONTACTS

ARDIAN

THE NEIBART GROUP MAEVE MALONEY

ardian@neibartgroup.com+1 781 987 4287

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Ardian launches an open version of Ardian AirCarbon platform to help airports reach net-zero

Ardian

Ardian AirCarbon is a software platform for airports to quickly and effectively quantify and act on aviation emissions
• This open version of Ardian AirCarbon provides access to average carbon emissions1 per country and fuel efficiency data for most commercial airports globally
• Ardian’s ambition is for Ardian AirCarbon to become a key platform for airports working to reach net-zero targets

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, is launching a free, open version of Ardian AirCarbon, its proprietary emission quantification and reduction tool for the aviation industry. This is the first platform showing average daily carbon emissions per country and aircraft efficiency indicators for most commercial airports worldwide. The platform is available on www.air-carbon.com.

Through its direct infrastructure investment activities, Ardian has significant experience in owning and operating European airports and has always put the net zero target for the industry by 2050 at the heart of its strategy, as detailed in the study published in 2022 The Fight for a Net Zero Aviation.

As part of this strategy, Ardian AirCarbon has been developed since 2019 by Ardian’s Data Science and IT teams in close collaboration with our portfolio airport teams to support the Scope 3 emissions dynamic assessment at airports where the Infrastructure team is an investor. Scope 3 is estimated to represent more than 95% of an airport’s emissions as it covers all indirect emissions, such as those generated by an aircraft landing, take-off and taxiing, or airport ground vehicles. The platform uses granular, real-time operations data to quantify and project emissions2. This enables airport operators to effectively monitor and reduce their CO2 emissions. Following successful usage by the airports and inquiries from non Ardian owned airports to access the platform, it has been decided to provide Ardian AirCarbon more broadly. The platform is currently deployed in five airports across Europe (Keflavík, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Naples and Turin) and covers a total of 59 million yearly passengers3.

This new open version of Ardian AirCarbon is open to everyone and aims at monitoring on a global scale the progress made on the decarbonization trajectories for the aviation industry. The platform will thus provide open access to the aggregated Scope 3 carbon emissions of airports within each country, alongside more in-depth aircraft efficiency indicators such as the proportion of high, medium and low fuel efficiency aircraft in the overall aircraft mix of an airport at any given date. It complies with recommended methodology from the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA), the global certification program for airport carbon management. More information on which emissions are displayed, which airports or flights are mapped, or how Ardian AirCarbon computes emissions can be found in our FAQ.

Airports who would like to go further can also subscribe to the Pro version to access a complete view of their Scope 3 emissions, based on their operations data and including additional Scope 3 items such as half-cruise and ground service equipment emissions.

Ardian AirCarbon has already been used by airports to reach important sustainability and net-zero reporting milestones. For example, in 2024, Milan’s SEA airports used Ardian AirCarbon to renew their ACA 4+ certification for the current year. This was the first time the platform had been used by an airport to report half-cruise flight emissions to the ACA.

The goal is for the platform to become a tool for the entire airport ecosystem and to support the aviation sector in achieving net-zero.

“Making Ardian AirCarbon open and available to all stakeholders is an important step in supporting the transition to a more sustainable industry. As a long-term investor and shareholder in airports, it is our duty to help secure the future of aviation for the next generations and to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. We look forward to working with the entire aviation ecosystem to control emissions, because collectively we need to act now.” Mathias Burghardt, Executive Vice President and Head of Infrastructure, Ardian

“Ardian AirCarbon is an essential tool for airports seeking to reduce their carbon footprint and participate in the decarbonization of the industry. With this open version, we are proud to offer our expertise and help the industry achieve its ambitious net-zero goals by making it easier to access and track emissions data. We invite the whole aviation industry to use Ardian AirCarbon and join us in this essential mission.” Pauline Thomson, Head of Data Science and Managing Director Infrastructure, Ardian

1 The platform is accounting for other types of emissions than CO2 only, but all are expressed in carbon equivalent on Ardian AirCarbon

2 The open version the Ardian AirCarbon platform computes data from multiple sources (see details in our FAQ). In the Pro version Ardian AirCarbon platform, each airport may provide its own data to refine the emissions assessment.

3 Based on the number of passengers at each airport in 2023

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $164bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,600 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian’s main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility.
At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

PRESS CONTACT

ARDIAN

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CapMan Special Situations invests in TerraWise

Capman

CapMan Special Situations press release
6 May 2024 at 09:15 a.m. EEST

CapMan Special Situations invests in TerraWise

CapMan Special Situations invests in infrastructure construction company TerraWise. The objective is to further strengthen TerraWise’s position as a leading player in the green and urban landscaping and infrastructure construction space.

TerraWise is one of the leading infrastructure construction companies operating in the Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa regions. The company’s operations are based on three cornerstone capabilities: landscaping and urban construction, land and infrastructure construction and excavation. In addition, the company has growth substrate sales operation in Tampere. TerraWise employs close to 160 dedicated professionals.

CapMan Special Situations becomes the majority owner in TerraWise while the company’s key personnel remain significant minority owners. Tuomas Saarinen will continue as the company’s CEO.

”During the past year and a half, we have managed to turn the business back to profitability. During the first half of 2024, we have significantly built up our order book and profitability has continued to increase substantially. With CapMan’s investment, we are able to strengthen our financial position which is excellent news for our key stakeholders and for the company as a whole. This will also support our profitable growth and improve the company’s competitive position”, says Tuomas Saarinen, CEO of TerraWise.

”TerraWise is a frontrunner in the green urban construction space. The TerraWise team has done outstanding work in developing the business and we will continue to support this development together with the team”, comments Ari Kyöstilä, Senior Investment Manager at CapMan Special Situations.

The completion of this transaction is subject to approval by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.

More information:

Ari Kyöstilä, Senior Investment Manager, CapMan Special Situations, +358 50 337 2002

Tuomas Saarinen, CEO, TerraWise, +358 41 431 7583

About CapMan

CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value creation and over €5 billion in assets under management. As one of the private equity pioneers in the Nordics we have developed hundreds of companies and assets creating significant value for over three decades. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors by enabling change across our portfolio companies. An example of this is greenhouse gas reduction targets that we have set under the Science Based Targets initiative in line with the 1.5°C scenario and our commitment to net-zero GHG emissions by 2040. We have a broad presence in the unlisted market through our local and specialised teams. Our investment strategies cover real estate and infrastructure assets, natural capital and minority and majority investments in portfolio companies. We also provide wealth management solutions. Our service business includes procurement services. Altogether, CapMan employs around 200 professionals in Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, London and Luxembourg. We are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki since 2001. www.capman.com

About TerraWise

TerraWise is one of the leading infrastructure construction companies operating in the Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa regions. The company’s operations are based on three cornerstone capabilities: landscaping and urban construction, land and infrastructure construction and excavation. In addition, the company has growth substrate sales operation in Tampere. TerraWise employs close to 160 dedicated professionals.

Our clients primarily consist of cities and municipalities, housing cooperatives and construction companies, and we also perform demanding projects for private clients. We act as a trusted expert in projects, from design to execution, with sustainability and our clients in focus. www.terrawise.fi


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HASI And KKR Establish $2 Billion Strategic Partnership To Invest In Sustainable Infrastructure Projects

KKR

ANNAPOLIS, Md. & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc. (“HASI,” “we,” “our” or the “Company”) (NYSE: HASI), a leading investor in climate solutions, and KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced an agreement to establish CarbonCount Holdings 1 LLC (“CCH1”) to invest up to a combined $2 billion in climate positive projects across the United States.

Per the agreement, signed May 4, 2024, HASI and KKR have each made an initial capital commitment of up to $1 billion to CCH1, to invest up to an aggregate of $2 billion in clean energy assets over the next 18 months. HASI will source the investments for and manage CCH1, remain the interface with its clients, and measure the avoided emissions of all investments in CCH1 using its proprietary CarbonCount® scoring tool. These investments will be consistent with HASI’s existing investment strategy which is focused on behind-the-meter, grid-connected, renewable natural gas and transport projects.

At close, CCH1 will be seeded with assets representing approximately 10% of the up to $2 billion total committed amounts.

“Our strategic partnership with KKR perfectly aligns with our Climate Clients Assets strategy, enabling us to capitalize on our ambitious pipeline of opportunities and scale our business,” said Jeffrey A. Lipson, President and Chief Executive Officer of HASI. “We are excited to collaborate with the KKR team, who share our commitment to accelerating the energy transition and whose interest in the relationship serves as a testament to HASI’s history of success.”

“CCH1 represents a significant milestone in our objective to migrate to a more capital light model and reduce reliance on public equity markets for growth,” said Marc Pangburn, Chief Financial Officer of HASI. “This transaction further increases the resilient, non-cyclical nature of our business.”

“HASI has built an impressive portfolio of sustainable infrastructure projects through strategic partnerships and we believe their pipeline of future opportunities is highly complementary to KKR’s existing clean energy investing strategy,” said Cecilio Velasco, Managing Director on KKR’s Infrastructure team. “We look forward to working together to advance projects in the sustainable infrastructure space and accelerate the energy transition.”

With over 15 years of experience in infrastructure investing, KKR has invested more than $15 billion in renewable energy and climate-related investments from its infrastructure platform alone. According to BloombergNEF, KKR is the 10th largest owner of solar assets operating and under construction in the U.S. KKR is funding the investment from its core infrastructure strategy.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as the financial advisor for KKR, and Lazard acted as financial advisor for HASI.

CarbonCount: Measuring the Climate Impact of Every Investment

HASI only invests in assets that are neutral to negative on incremental carbon emissions or have some other tangible environmental benefit, such as reducing water consumption. Since 2013, HASI has tracked and reported on the impact of all its investments utilizing CarbonCount, a proprietary scoring tool for evaluating real assets to determine the efficiency by which each dollar of invested capital avoids annual carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e). This first-of-its-kind methodology promotes transparency in project finance by creating a simple and comparable metric for infrastructure projects to be evaluated in terms of how much capital investment is mitigating climate change.

About HASI

HASI (NYSE: HASI) is a leading climate positive investment firm that actively partners with clients to deploy real assets that facilitate the energy transition. With more than $12 billion in managed assets, our vision is that every investment improves our climate future. For more information, please visit hasi.com.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some of the information contained in this press release is forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended that are subject to risks and uncertainties. For these statements, we claim the protections of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in such Sections. These forward-looking statements include information about possible or assumed future results of our business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, plans and objectives. When we use the words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “should,” “may” or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on such statements. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements include those discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as in other periodic reports that we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Forward-looking statements are based on beliefs, assumptions and expectations as of the date of this press release. We disclaim any obligation to publicly release the results of any revisions to these forward-looking statements reflecting new estimates, events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

Contacts

For HASI
Conor Fryer
media@hasi.com
443-321-5754

Neha Gaddam
investors@hasi.com
410-571-6189

For KKR
Liidia Liuksila or Emily Cummings
media@kkr.com
(212) 750-8300

 

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DIF Capital Partners enters into exclusive negotiations to acquire TDF fibre business

DIF

DIF Capital Partners, a leading global infrastructure fund manager, has entered into exclusive negotiations with TDF and La Banque des Territoires to acquire the fibre business of the TDF Group, the operator of infrastructure and digital networks.

TDF Fibre is a French fibre business owned by TDF (79.5%) and Banque des Territoires (20.5%). The company owns four public-initiative networks under concession agreements that are all fully operational: Val d’Oise Fibre, Val de Loire Fibre, Anjou Fibre and Faucigny Glières Fibre, and one wholly-owned network: Yvelines Fibre. Its expertise in operating very high-speed networks with quality of service ranks among the best in France according to recent ARCEP studies.

TDF fibre

DIF Capital Partners, via its DIF Infrastructure VII fund, is negotiating to invest in TDF Group’s fibre business by acquiring the entire share capital in (i) TDF Fibre and (ii) Lumière Fibre, a newly incorporated vehicle entirely held by TDF and to which TDF is expected to contribute its engineering, maintenance, fibre roll-out and construction services business units. Following the planned transaction, the TDF Group will continue to support TDF Fibre, particularly in terms of network supervision.

The investment being considered by DIF Capital Partners will enable TDF Fibre to continue to bring its recognized expertise to the benefit of local authorities, individuals and businesses, as well as to pursue development opportunities in existing and new territories.

This transaction, which is being negotiated, will require the implementation of the information and consultation process with the relevant French employee representative bodies, and could be completed by the end of 2024, subject to satisfaction of the customary conditions precedent.

 

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is an infrastructure fund manager with more than EUR 17 billion of assets under management. DIF was founded in 2005 and has a leading position in managing mid-market investments, primarily in Europe and North America.

DIF follows two strategies: its traditional DIF funds invest in infrastructure projects and companies in the energy transition (incl. renewables) and utilities sector, as well as concessions. The firm’s CIF funds invest in companies with strong growth potential that are active in infrastructure sectors such as digital infrastructure, energy transition and sustainable transportation.

With a team of over 240 professionals in 12 offices, DIF offers a unique market approach combining global presence with the benefits of strong local networks and investment capabilities. DIF is located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto.

In September 2023, CVC, a leading global private markets manager, announced that it would be acquiring a majority stake in DIF Capital Partners. Closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected in Q2 2024.

For more information, please visit www.dif.eu or follow us on LinkedIn.

About TDF

As a transparent and impartial operator, TDF helps digital firms in mainland France and French overseas territories meet their strategic transmission goals. For radio and DTT broadcasting, mobile ultra high-speed broadband coverage and rolling out optical fibre, TDF brings clients in-depth operational expertise, a mix of unique and ground-breaking technology and an exceptionally widespread local presence. In an ever more connected world, over the last four decades or more TDF has enabled telecoms and media companies to connect the French regions and people, backed by its 8,600 sites, everywhere and faster. www.tdf.fr

About Banque des Territoires

Banque des Territoires is one of the entities of the Caisse des Dépôts. Banque des Territoires brings together in-house expertise for local areas. As a one-stop shop for customers, it acts alongside all local stakeholders: local authorities, local public-sector enterprises, social housing bodies, legal professions, businesses and financial players. Banque des Territoires assists them in the implementation of their public interest projects with a continuum of offers : advisory, loans, equity, bank services, consignments and special deposits. It has been set up to serve the interests of all local areas alike, from rural municipalities to large cities, with the ambition of maximizing its impact notably on ecological transformation and social and regional cohesion. The 37 territorial offices of Banque des Territoires ensure the implementation of its action across all metropolitan and overseas territories. www.banquedesterritoires.fr 

 

Press contacts:

DIF Capital Partners: press@dif.eu

TDF: Pauline Mauger. Tel.: 07 70 01 18 27 – pauline.mauger@tdf.fr

Banque des Territoires – Groupe Caisse des Dépôts: Nathalie Police. Tel.: 06 07 58 65 19 – nathalie.police@caissedesdepots.fr

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Global Insights Series: the Future of Renewable Energy

DIF

DIF Capital Partners recently hosted its Global Renewable Energy & Storage Industry Days. This two-day event brought together industry advisors, portfolio company leadership and DIF’s global team of in-house energy transition experts, to discuss industry trends, opportunities and challenges in the evolving renewable energy landscape.

Renewable Energy

This Global Insights Series publication summarizes the key takeaways of the event.

As a leading global mid-market infrastructure manager, DIF is proud to have a proven track record of investing in and scaling up companies that are enabling the energy transition.

The decarbonization of the global economy represents a large-scale and attractive investment opportunity – from renewable power generation, to more efficient heating and cooling of buildings via district heating and geothermal solutions, to conversion of waste into energy, to the electrification of transport.

The themes addressed in the report include:

  • The push to achieve science-based carbon reduction targets coupled with rising electricity use has led to accelerating demand for renewable energy from governments, utilities, corporates and individuals alike.
  • Providing renewable energy direct to corporates and industrials is a growing market for renewables providers, with many large businesses still unaware of how it can help them hit their net zero targets.
  • A significant amount of public and private capital will be required to execute the energy transition.
  • The influx of capital into building intermittent renewable generation, but without the commensurate investment into upgrading and reinforcing power grid infrastructure is resulting in widespread grid congestion and curtailment. However, colocation with storage or other technologies, and strategic siting of assets can help to mitigate this risk.
  • Geopolitical disruption in Europe (and the world) has further increased focus on security of supply and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. In North America, the Inflation Reduction Act represents the largest government incentive package for the renewable energy industry to date.

Read the report here: DIF Global Insight Series – The Future of Renewable Energy (April 2024).

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EQT enters exclusive talks with ICG Infra to acquire Ocea Group, a leading French water and heat submetering infrastructure provider

eqt
  • Ocea is a provider of smart water and heat metering infrastructure in France, operating under long-term inflation-linked contracts in an industry benefiting from long term visibility and regulation-driven growth
  • Ocea helps the energy transition through measurement of individual consumption, which significantly incentivizes customers to make more environmentally conscious decisions. Submeter installation is shown to reduce energy consumption and water usage by 15%1
  • EQT plans to further accelerate the Company’s growth, applying its track record in the energy and environmental sectors. ICG Infra strongly supported Ocea on significant initiatives to contribute to its growth in the energy transition

EQT is pleased to announce that EQT Active Core Infrastructure fund (“EQT”), has entered exclusive negotiations to acquire Ocea Group (“Ocea”, or the “Company”) from ICG Infrastructure Equity I (“ICG Infra”).

Ocea aims to play a key role in the rollout of smart water and heat submetering devices leading to tangible savings for customers and positive impact for the environment. It operates more than four million heat and water submeters. Through long-term, 10+ year inflation-linked contracts, the company provides a comprehensive range of submetering services to over 7,000 public and private customers, including installation and rental, reading and data collection, and maintenance and replacement.

The Company is expected to benefit from favorable growth trends in the French submetering market owing to regulation and strong consumer demand to allocate and reduce consumption. Penetration rates are expected to improve both across the water and heat segment, while creating significant adjacent business opportunities.

Since acquiring a majority stake in Ocea in 2019, ICG Infra undertook a series of initiatives to support its growth in the energy transition, driven by a management team of seasoned executives led by CEO Emmanuel Croc.

EQT plans to support Ocea’s growth in its core submetering business and across other adjacent solutions in the environmental, data management and smart housing segments. EQT would help Ocea to continue the expansion of its asset and client base, drive growth through capex-enabled sustainable energy solutions and make significant investments in digital customer services.

Fabian Gröne, Partner in the EQT Active Core Infrastructure Advisory Team, said: “This potential investment aligns with EQT’s approach of investing in essential services that have a positive impact on society, and builds on our track record in the circularity and resource efficiency themes. Ocea would mark EQT Active Core Infrastructure’s third investment, which is focused on acquiring core businesses with strong downside protection and inflation-linked contracts backed by thematic market growth – while still providing significant value creation opportunities from EQT’s active ownership approach.”

 

Thomas Rajzbaum, Partner and Head of EQT’s French Infrastructure Advisory Team, added: “We have followed Ocea for a long time and have been deeply impressed by its growth track record. We are thrilled by the prospect of partnering with the management team to further strengthen the Company’s positioning in France and abroad through continued growth in its asset base and investments in digitalisation and sustainable customer solutions.”

Emmanuel Croc, Chief Executive Officer of Ocea, said: “I would like to thank ICG for their strong contribution and expertise over the last four years, and we would be delighted to welcome EQT as a new long-term partner. We see the demand for submetering solutions steadily increasing amidst continued volatility in energy costs, increased customer awareness and desire to save coupled with a favorable regulatory landscape. By combining Ocea’s footprint and customer relationships with EQT’s experience in the energy sector, we plan to scale the platform further and grow in attractive adjacencies such as geothermal.”

Guillaume d’Engremont, Head of Infrastructure at ICG, commented: “Since we first invested in Ocea, our support has allowed the Company to continuously strengthen its position as a leading energy efficiency player by growing its installed base of sub-meters whilst also expanding into additional business lines synergetic with its core business. We are proud to have accelerated this critical mission over the past four years. It has been a pleasure to partner with Emmanuel Croc and the management team, who are doing a fantastic job further growing Ocea in the French market with an industry-leading efficiency and sustainability focus.”

The transaction is subject to customary regulatory conditions and approvals including information and consultation of the works council of Ocea. It is expected to close in Q2-Q3 2024.

EQT was advised by Rothschild & Co (financial), Linklaters LLP (legal), BCG (commercial and ESG) and KPMG (finance and tax).

ICG was advised by Ayache (legal), Bird&Bird (legal) and Eight Advisory (finance).

1Source: ADEME, L’individualisation des frais de chauffage, February 2023

The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell, nor a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security, and may not be used or relied upon in connection with any offer or solicitation. Any offer or solicitation in respect of EQT Active Core Infrastructure will be made only through a confidential private placement memorandum and related documents which will be furnished to qualified investors on a confidential basis in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The information contained herein is not for publication or distribution to persons in the United States of America. Any securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold without registration thereunder or pursuant to an available exemption therefrom. Any offering of securities to be made in the United States would have to be made by means of an offering document that would be obtainable from the issuer or its agents and would contain detailed information about the issuer of the securities and its management, as well as financial information. The securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration.

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com
ICG Press Office, Catherine.Armstrong@icgam.com

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 232 billion in total assets under management (EUR 130 billion in fee-generating assets under management), within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
Follow EQT on LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram   

About Ocea Group
Groupe OCEA employs around 550 people throughout France (28 agencies) to accelerate the energy transition of collective housing and tertiary buildings through its 3 subsidiaries:

  • Ocea Smart Building: sub-metering of water and heating, water and energy costs allocation and digital solutions for energy management. Our client promess is to reduce their consumption (up to 15% on average across the portfolio).
  • Isiom Conseil: assisting public and private clients for audits and actions plans in order to optimize their property assets, specially on energy efficiency.
  • Qowisio: the specialist in IoT solutions (like temperature sensors, Air Quality,… ) and connectivity

More info: https://www.groupe-ocea.fr/

About ICG
ICG provides flexible capital solutions to help companies develop and grow. We are a leading global alternative asset manager with over 35 years’ history, managing $86.3bn of assets1 and investing across the capital structure. We operate across four asset classes: Structured and Private Equity, Private Debt, Real Assets, and Credit.

ICG develops long-term relationships with its business partners to deliver value for shareholders, clients and employees, and uses its position of influence to benefit the environment and society. ICG is committed to being a net zero asset manager across our operations and relevant investments by 2040.

ICG is a member of the FTSE 100 and listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: ICP). Further details are available at www.icgam.com. You can follow ICG on LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Instagram

ICG Infra Team manages more than €2.5bn in Europe and seeks to partner with successful management teams and founders, providing growth capital to mid-market businesses across the energy transition, digital and mobility sectors.

ICG Infra Team leverages ICG’s DNA of bespoke capital solutions, investing across capital structures in equity and structured equity instruments creating a defensive risk-return profile for its portfolio whilst seeking to deliver consistent returns for its investors.

1 As at 31 December 2023

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Indigo Group and Ardian create Clermont, a new venture to accelerate growth in Canada’s parking market

Ardian

Ardian, a world-leading private investment house, and Indigo Group, a global player in parking and urban mobility, today announced Clermont, a new Canadian joint venture formed to invest in parking assets.

As part of the partnership, Indigo will contribute its Canadian-owned properties to Clermont while retaining the operations for each of the properties through Indigo Park Canada. Ardian will support Clermont’s digitization and sustainability efforts to drive value creation. Ardian and Indigo will deploy additional equity over the long term, acquiring parking assets, as well as long-term concessions and leases. Indigo will manage the operations of these assets.

The newly formed company, Clermont, will be led by industry veteran, CEO Gordon Craig, who has nearly 30 years of experience in the parking industry, previously serving as the President of Canadian operations and COO of North America for Imperial Parking (Impark). The partnership between Ardian and Indigo represents the continuation of a long-standing and successful collaboration between the two companies which began in 2014.

“We are excited to launch this new venture and work with such a reputable and experienced management team in Canada. With our proven track record of developing sustainable and digital-first infrastructure assets, in combination with Indigo’s established and innovative parking solutions, Clermont is strategically positioned for accelerated growth within the Canadian market.”

“We are excited to launch this new venture and work with such a reputable and experienced management team in Canada. With our proven track record of developing sustainable and digital-first infrastructure assets, in combination with Indigo’s established and innovative parking solutions, Clermont is strategically positioned for accelerated growth within the Canadian market.” Stefano Mion, Co-Head of Infrastructure Americas, Ardian

Ardian’s Infrastructure team has a long track record of experience developing and acquiring essential infrastructure assets across the global transportation, energy, and digital infrastructure sectors. This transaction will be made through the Ardian Americas Infrastructure Fund V (AAIF V) and complements Ardian’s existing infrastructure portfolio in the Americas.

“We are thrilled to launch this new venture with Ardian, a unique opportunity for Indigo to further expand our footprint in Canada while unlocking value for a growing parking asset portfolio.” John Laires, CEO, Indigo Park Canada

“It’s an honor to be working alongside the teams at Indigo and Ardian, both leaders in their respective industries, in this new venture. Clermont will seek to offer innovative, digitally driven, and sustainable parking operations that provide an enhanced customer experience. We are delighted by the opportunity at hand.” Gordon Craig, CEO, Clermont

PARTIES TO THE TRANSACTION

  • ARDIAN

    • FINANCIAL ADVISOR: AGENTIS
    • LEGAL ADVISOR: GIBSON DUNN, FASKEN
    • TECHNICAL ADVISOR: BTY GROUP
    • COMMERCIAL & MARKET ADVISOR: AT KEARNEY
    • FINANCIAL & TAX ADVISOR: DELOITTE
    • INSURANCE ADVISOR: ALLIANT
  • INDIGO GROUP

    • FINANCIAL ADVISOR: STORMONT PARTNERS
    • LEGAL ADVISOR: MCCARTHY
    • TAX ADVISOR: DELOITTE

ABOUT ARDIAN

Ardian is a world-leading private investment house, managing or advising $164bn of assets on behalf of more than 1,600 clients globally. Our broad expertise, spanning Private Equity, Real Assets and Credit, enables us to offer a wide range of investment opportunities and respond flexibly to our clients’ differing needs. Through Ardian Customized Solutions we create bespoke portfolios that allow institutional clients to specify the precise mix of assets they require and to gain access to funds managed by leading third-party sponsors. Private Wealth Solutions offers dedicated services and access solutions for private banks, family offices and private institutional investors worldwide. Ardian’s main shareholding group is its employees and we place great emphasis on developing its people and fostering a collaborative culture based on collective intelligence. Our 1,050+ employees, spread across 19 offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Middle East are strongly committed to the principles of Responsible Investment and are determined to make finance a force for good in society. Our goal is to deliver excellent investment performance combined with high ethical standards and social responsibility. At Ardian we invest all of ourselves in building companies that last.

ABOUT INDIGO GROUP S.A.

Indigo Group, which owns nearly 100% of Indigo Infra, Indigo Neo and INDIGO®weel, is a global player in parking and urban mobility, managing more than 1.4 million parking spaces and their associated services in 9 countries. Indigo Group is indirectly 49.2% owned by Crédit Agricole Assurances, through Predica SA and Crédit Agricole Assurances Retraite, 34.3% owned by Vauban Infrastructure Partners and 14.9% owned by MR Infrastructure Investment GmbH (MEAG), and 1.4% held in treasury shares and by the Group’s management, and the remaining of the shares by Infra Foch TopCo S.A.S (0.2%).

MEDIA CONTACTS

ARDIAN

THE NEIBART GROUP MAEVE MALONEY

ardian@neibartgroup.com 

INDIGO GROUP

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Platinum Equity Invests in TAK Communications

Platinum

Firm to partner with TAK’s current shareholders and management team, which will continue as equity partners in the business

Transaction extends momentum of Platinum Equity’s Small Cap team

Platinum Equity Invests in TAK Communications

LOS ANGELES (March 22, 2024) – Platinum Equity announced today a significant investment in TAK Communications, a national provider of communications and broadband infrastructure services. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, TAK provides fiber and broadband network services, last-mile connectivity and on-premises technology deployment solutions for the broadband and telecommunications industries.

The company was founded in 2004 by CEO Micah Mauney and established itself as a regional provider of on-premises fulfillment services, including residential and commercial network equipment installations and support. In recent years, TAK has grown substantially and diversified its offerings in more than 40 states to include last-mile cable and fiber “drop” services (aerial and underground), network maintenance, new construction network build outs, and design and engineering services.

“TAK has built an impressive business with national scale that today provides full end-to-end capabilities across the network deployment value chain,” said Platinum Equity Co-President Jacob Kotzubei. “Fiber is the backbone of all key technologies used to deliver broadband internet and wireless connectivity and we believe that demand for bandwidth will only continue to grow.”

Platinum Equity has significant experience investing in technology and telecommunications businesses. The firm’s current portfolio includes Ingram Micro, one of the world’s largest providers of technology, mobility and cloud platform solutions.

The TAK investment was led by Platinum Equity’s Small Cap team.

“The broadband communications services space is highly fragmented, and TAK has significant room to grow both organically and through additional acquisitions,” said Platinum Equity Managing Director Dan Krasner. “Private and public investment is projected to continue flowing into the sector over the next few years, which we believe will only make TAK’s value proposition more essential to its current and future broadband customers.”

The company’s owners and management retained a significant ownership stake in TAK and continue to lead the company.

“Platinum has extensive experience helping founder-owned businesses leverage our operational expertise and M&A capabilities to maximize their potential,” added Krasner. “We are excited to work alongside Micah and the management team, and to bring our full toolkit in building TAK’s future success.

“I am proud of everything we have built over the last 20 years and am confident Platinum will be an outstanding partner for our next phase of growth,” said Mauney. “Platinum’s operations expertise is well suited to help us take the next step in delivering the very best customer experience, growing our amazing team members, and strengthening our goal in building America’s best communication services provider for our current and future customers.”

About Platinum Equity
Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with approximately $47 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 50 operating companies that serve customers around the world. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 28 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 450 acquisitions.

About TAK Communications
TAK Communications is a leading telecommunications and broadband service provider that offers full value chain communications services and solutions to its customers across the US, from project management, engineering, and construction to drops, fulfilment and door-to-door sales. TAK Communications prides itself on being a trusted business partner for its customers in the telecommunications sector, providing solutions that exceed their expectations. For more information, visit takcommunications.com.

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DIF Capital Partners sells UK onshore wind farm project to TfL Pension Fund

DIF

DIF Capital Partners is pleased to announce that DIF Infrastructure IV (DIF IV) has signed an agreement to sell a UK onshore wind farm project to the Transport for London Pension Fund. Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals, and is expected to take place in Q2 2024.

The Wadlow wind farm project, located close to Cambridge, has an installed capacity of 26MW and comprises 13 Vestas V90 2MW turbines. The wind farm has been operational since September 2012 and was acquired by DIF IV in 2016.

Andrew Freeman, Partner and Head of Exits at DIF Capital Partners, said: “We are very pleased with the successful exit of this project. Our proactive approach to divestments helps to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns for our investors, with this sale further demonstrating the strong track record of our investment strategies.”

“The success of this investment since 2016 demonstrates how financing the energy transition can deliver strong returns for our investors as well as drive the transition to net zero. DIF will be continuing to look for investment opportunities in the UK renewables sector in the coming years.”

DIF IV was advised on the transaction by PKF Francis Clark (financial), Osborne Clarke (legal) and Natural Power (technical).

 

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is an infrastructure fund manager with more than EUR 17 billion of assets under management. DIF was founded in 2005 and has a leading position in managing mid-market investments, primarily in Europe and North America.

DIF follows two strategies: its traditional DIF funds invest in infrastructure projects and companies in the energy transition (incl. renewables) and utilities sector, as well as concessions. The firm’s CIF funds invest in companies with strong growth potential that are active in infrastructure sectors such as digital infrastructure, energy transition and sustainable transportation.

With a team of over 240 professionals in 11 offices, DIF offers a unique market approach combining global presence with the benefits of strong local networks and investment capabilities. DIF is located in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto.

In September 2023, CVC, a leading global private markets manager, announced that it would be acquiring a majority stake in DIF Capital Partners. Closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected in Q2 2024.

For more information, please visit www.dif.eu or follow us on LinkedIn.

 

Press contact:

DIF Capital Partners: press@dif.eu

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