BALLESTRA GROUP acquired by NEXTCHEM

Luxempart has acquired a 26% minority stake in Kestrel Vision for €110M. The transaction follows a competitive process involving funds such as Capza, Towerbrook, and IK Partners. The capital injection serves three purposes: a capital increase to strengthen the balance sheet, a partial cash-out for management, and the refinancing of a bridge loan provided by Caravelle for the acquisition of US-based Filtec in late 2022. Despite a valuation exceeding €500M, the majority shareholder Caravelle opted for a minority opening instead of a full exit due to current debt market constraints

Michelin has announced a definitive agreement to acquire the entire stake of The Flexitallic Group from the private equity firm Bridgepoint. This transaction marks a strategic exit for Bridgepoint, which first partnered with the business in 2013 and guided it through a significant transformation. For Michelin, the acquisition represents another major step in its diversification strategy, adding a complementary "High-Tech Materials" platform with a strong industrial client base. Flexitallic's expertise in sealing technologies and joint integrity aligns perfectly with Michelin's competencies in high-performance materials

Shimadzu Corporation has entered into an agreement to acquire Tescan from The Carlyle Group, as part of a strategic plan to bolster its position in the global scientific instruments and advanced imaging technologies market. Under Carlyle's ownership since 2023, Tescan has undergone significant transformation, accelerating its growth, strengthening its international development, and solidifying its presence in the semiconductor-related markets. Concurrently, the company has enhanced its offerings by developing new workflows dedicated to these applications, while expanding its service capabilities and structuring its industrial partnerships

The industrial group specializing in safety equipment for electrical environments has been acquired in its entirety by the founding family and employees, offering an exit route for Capza, Bpifrance, BNP Paribas, and Casra Capital. The buy-back is financed through bank debt and family equity. The exit provides a strong return for Capza, as the company doubled its size during their 5-year tenure through organic growth and 10 acquisitions.

The acquisition of the SomaLogic business unit by Illumina marks a significant strategic maneuver designed to consolidate leadership in the emerging multi-omics landscape. The strategic rationale for this transaction centers on the integration of the target’s high-plex proteomics platform with the group’s world-leading sequencing technology. This fusion effectively creates a unified ecosystem capable of correlating genomic sequences with real-time protein expressions, providing researchers with an unprecedented "end-to-end" view of biological systems

VELEC Group acquired COMEA PROCESS to leverage technical and commercial synergies. The deal allows COMEA to benefit from VELEC's strong international presence and US subsidiaries. The transaction includes the retirement of the majority shareholder and the reinvestment of the Managing Director into the VELEC Group.

Prysmian (80%) and Fincantieri (20%) have agreed to acquire Xtera from private equity firm H.I.G. Capital. This acquisition allows the Italian partners to offer a complete "one-stop-shop" solution for subsea telecommunications: Prysmian provides the cables, Xtera provides the electronic repeaters and system design, and Fincantieri provides the vessels and installation capabilities. The closing is expected in Q1 2026.

Azzurra Capital and Azimut Libera Impresa acquired a 7.9% minority stake in NEXTCHEM. This transaction was executed via the vehicle Azzurra Next One, which purchased the shares from Maire Investments (the family office of the Di Amato family). The strategic rationale for this transaction is to strengthen NEXTCHEM's shareholder structure and validate its growth trajectory ahead of a planned IPO on the Milan stock exchange. The deal allows MAIRE to maintain majority control (82.1%) while institutionalizing the technology platform to accelerate its global acquisition strategy, as illustrated by the simultaneous purchase of the Ballestra Group

Interpump Group has acquired 100% of FARMA S.r.l. The sellers are the club deal vehicle F&P4Biz (which held 74% since 2021), the founding Poma family, and management. This acquisition follows Interpump's purchase of Padoan (a tank manufacturer) in July 2025, allowing for complete product integration. The current management team, including CEO Antonio Dolgetta and COO Andrea Poma, will remain in place.

The integration of the target marks a significant reinforcement of the parent group’s fire and industrial safety portfolio. This transaction secures a market-leading position in the high-growth hazardous area signaling segment, which is increasingly driven by stringent international safety mandates. The industrial logic centers on the fusion of the target’s explosion-proof engineering with the group’s existing global expertise in gas detection and fire systems. This absorption allows the group to provide a more holistic life-safety solution for complex manufacturing sites and energy infrastructure