5 SEPT ETIQUETTE acquired by ALLIANCE ETIQUETTES

Ardian, the global private investment house, acquired a 50% ownership stake in Angus Chemical Company from Golden Gate Capital. The investment was driven by Angus's indispensable position within the global Life Sciences value chain. During the pandemic, Angus's nitroalkane derivatives became vital components for the manufacture of diagnostic kits, antibody treatments, vaccines, and high-alcohol hand sanitizers. Ardian's strategy is to use Angus as a platform for a global "Buy-and-Build" strategy, specifically targeting additional specialty chemical companies in Europe and Asia to further diversify its life sciences and personal care portfolio.

Private equity firm Cerea Partners, utilizing its Cerea Capital II fund, has completed the acquisition of family-owned group Axium through a primary LBO transaction. As part of this deal finalized on June 25, 2020, Bpifrance has joined the consortium to acquire a minority equity stake in the business. Historical CEO Yves Cury and his management team have demonstrated their ongoing commitment by reinvesting significantly in the newly formed corporate structure. The transaction facilitates the exit of the former shareholders, which include the Cury family and Crédit Mutuel Equity SCR. The acquisition financing was structured via a bank syndicate arranged by Caisse d'Epargne, featuring participation from La Banque Postale, CIC, Banque Populaire, and Crédit Agricole. The sell-side was advised by Mazars Corporate Finance, while Joffe & Associés and Advance Capital were among the advisory syndicate supporting the buyers. For majority investor Cerea Partners, the buyout secures operational control of a leading specialist in recyclable (PET) and recycled (R-PET) plastic packaging tailored for the food, health, hygiene, and beauty sectors. Leveraging its operational footprint of five production sites across France, Germany, and the Czech Republic, Axium will utilize this institutional backing to tackle future ecological and industrial challenges, aligning its trajectory firmly with the circular economy.

Sparring Capital acquired a majority stake in Pure Trade alongside the management team. The transaction marked the first deployment of the Sparring Capital Fund 2. The partnership was strictly engineered to accelerate Pure Trade’s international expansion—particularly in the United States—and to professionalize the group’s organization while participating in sector consolidation via external growth. Pure Trade had demonstrated solid fundamentals with an annual growth rate of nearly 20% p.a. over the five years leading up to the transaction.

Poncin Metal underwent a management buyout supported by Sofimac Regions and Esfin Participations. The transaction allowed for a smooth leadership transition while providing the capital needed to pursue an ambitious modernization plan. The investment thesis focused on Poncin Metal's strong positioning in high-value-added industrial subcontracting and its potential to capture new markets through technological upgrades.

Cobepa S.A. has acquired a majority stake in Gerflor SAS from Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) and other shareholders, including Credit Mutuel Equity. Following the transaction, ICG (which had owned the company since 2011) will retain a significant minority stake. The deal was finalized in late January 2020 after receiving approval from the European Commission. The strategic rationale for the acquisition is to strengthen Gerflor’s market leadership and accelerate its international expansion, particularly in North America and Asia. Under ICG’s previous ownership, the company more than doubled its revenues, reaching the €1 billion milestone through a mix of organic growth and strategic bolt-on acquisitions. The new ownership structure under Cobepa is designed to provide the long-term capital necessary to pursue further external growth and leverage Gerflor’s expertise in high-growth niches like sports and healthcare flooring.

Green Arrow Capital has acquired a majority stake in Poplast from Eos Investment Management (which held 86.5%) and minority operating partners. The management team, including Carlo Callegari and Pierangelo Fantoni, has reinvested in the company. The deal values the company at over EUR110 million. The acquisition aims to create a "Green Packaging" pole by aggregating other companies in the flexible packaging sector that focus on recyclable and compostable materials. The transaction was financed by Credit Agricole Italia and Deutsche Bank.

Tekni-Plex, Inc. has acquired 100% of the share capital of Lameplast S.p.A. from the Italian private equity firm Aksia Group (Aksia Capital IV fund). This transaction represents the first exit for the Aksia Capital IV fund. Lameplast's expertise in pharmaceutical injection moulding and its strong foothold in the European ophthalmology market will be integrated into Tekni-Plex's global healthcare packaging division. Under Aksia's ownership since 2016, Lameplast had strengthened its management, enhanced R&D, and expanded its commercial presence in the US.

Blackstone entered into a definitive agreement to acquire an initial 51% controlling stake in Essel Propack from the Ashok Goel Trust. The transaction was strategically motivated by the rapid growth of the Indian consumer market and the increasing global demand for specialized pharmaceutical and personal care packaging. By transitioning from a family-led structure to a private equity-backed model, the deal was designed to accelerate Essel Propack’s expansion across the Asia Pacific and Oceania regions, utilizing India as a central manufacturing and export hub.

Alpha Private Equity acquired a controlling stake in Laminam from the Stefani family (System Group). The CEO reinvested significantly alongside Alpha and continued to lead the company. The acquisition followed a competitive auction involving funds like InvestIndustrial, Ardian, and BC Partners. The transaction was financed by Banco BPM. The strategic goal was to accelerate Laminam's global expansion and capitalize on its tripled production capacity following recent investments in its Parma (Italy) and Vorsino (Russia) plants.

Parcom Capital acquired a 60% majority stake in 247TailorSteel from its founder, Carel van Sorgen. The transaction was designed to solve the founder's succession while providing the industrial group with the financial muscle to accelerate its European rollout.