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06/2020

CEREA PARTNERS & BPIFRANCE take majority stake in AXIUM PACKAGING

FRANCE Chemicals & Materials / Packaging & Containers / Plastic Packaging EV 50M - 150M EUR

Context

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.

AXIUM PACKAGING, which reported an EBITDA margin of LOGIN in 2019, is valued in this transaction at an EV/EBITDA multiple of LOGIN, representing a LOGIN to the average currently observed in the Industry & Manufacturing sector (10.9x).

Note that this data is based on contribution from our growing community, composed of M&A and Private Equity professionals, and has been verified by our team to ensure its accuracy.

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Target

Founded in 1968 and headquartered near Saint-Étienne, Axium is a European specialist in the design and manufacture of plastic packaging solutions (PET, rPET, HDPE, PP), primarily targeting the food, healthcare, hygiene, and beauty sectors. The company offers a wide range of products, including bottles, caps, and packaging solutions, with a strong focus on sustainable materials (mainly 100% recyclable or recycled PET and PP). Historically driven by robust organic growth, Axium has also accelerated its expansion through a strategic acquisition approach, notably with the integration of Lapac (plastic injection molding) and KKT (blow molding in Germany) in 2016. With a workforce of over 400 employees across five industrial sites (three in France, one in Germany, and one in the Czech Republic), Axium positions itself as a committed industrial player in the circular economy, dedicated to developing lightweight products that address environmental challenges.

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Historical Financials (EUR)

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Other operations with AXIUM PACKAGING

List of similar M&A transactions (Date, Acquirer, Target, Country, Sector, Deal Context)
DateAcquirerTargetCountrySectorDeal Context
01/2025GROUPE SGT (SOCIETE GENERALE DES TECHNIQUES)AXIUM PACKAGINGFRANCEChemicals & Materials

The Groupe SGT continues its expansion by acquiring Axium Packaging from private equity funds Cerea Partners and Bpifrance. This strategic move marks a significant diversification for SGT: while SGT is a leader in preforms for the beverage market, Axium specializes in finished containers (bottles, jars) for the hygiene, beauty, and food sectors. The acquisition creates a comprehensive European packaging player with strong synergies in recycled materials (rPET) and a combined industrial footprint of over 10 sites.

REFERENCES

Valuation range: EV 50M - 150M EUR

Revenue range: 50M - 100M EUR

EBITDA range: 5M - 25M EUR

Note: This page provides detailed data on a private equity M&A transaction. Detailed and exact financial metrics for the acquisition of AXIUM PACKAGING by CEREA PARTNERS / BPIFRANCE are reserved for mynth community members. Register for free to unlock full data.

Authors: verified mynth contributor (mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified with private deal documents and official press releases).

Press release: view release

Target: axium packaging

Acquirer: cerea partners / bpifrance