INGEGNER GIULIO FAGGIONI CARRARA acquired by FRANCHI UMBERTO MARMI

Chequers Capital has acquired a majority stake in Alliance Etiquettes from Activa Capital. This transaction marks a highly successful exit for Activa Capital, which had built the group from a small regional player (Imprimerie Laulan, EUR8m revenue in 2015) into a national leader through eight add-on acquisitions. The management team remains invested in the business, and Activa Capital is reinvesting as a minority shareholder to support the next phase of growth. The new ownership aims to double or triple the group's size by pursuing international acquisitions in key wine-producing countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal) and expanding further into the luxury and cosmetics label markets.

The acquisition of Gault & Frémont by Groupe GUILLIN marks a strategic expansion of the latter's offering in paper and carton packaging solutions, complementing its existing portfolio of plastic and hybrid packaging products. Through this acquisition, Groupe GUILLIN aims to leverage Gault & Frémont's industrial expertise, innovative products, and commitment to environmental responsibility, to reinforce its position as a European leader in food packaging solutions. The acquisition is expected to enable Gault & Frémont to pursue its development in a proactive and long-term manner, with the support of Groupe GUILLIN's industrial and commercial expertise. The deal is part of UI Investissement's asset rotation strategy, following its initial investment in Gault & Frémont in 2015, and is expected to create new opportunities for growth and development for both companies.

Croda International has acquired Iberchem Group from the French private equity firm Eurazeo. This acquisition provides Croda with an immediate, high-growth platform in the global Fragrances & Flavours (F&F) market. The deal allows Croda to offer "full formulation" solutions to its customers (combining active ingredients with scents). Iberchem will continue to operate as an independent entity to preserve its agile culture. The transaction was funded via a combination of existing debt facilities and an equity placement.

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.

This operation represents the first programmatic bolt-on acquisition executed by Clayens NP since its primary sponsor-backed buyout, designed to accelerate the platform’s diversification into highly resilient and high-margin healthcare manufacturing verticals. Negotiated on a proprietary bilateral basis due to long-standing industrial relationships and a previous site acquisition in 2017, the transaction allows the seller, PSB Industries, to complete its strategic pivot toward luxury and beauty packaging while divesting a non-core industrial asset. The acquisition adds >€50 million in revenue to Clayens NP, driving consolidated group sales toward €350 million and establishing an essential manufacturing bridgehead in Mexico to serve the North American nearshoring market. The transaction funding mechanism leverages a combination of available balance sheet cash and a structured share swap, resulting in PSB Industries taking a minor equity position within the Clayens holding structure alongside the existing sponsor pool and management. This structural alignment facilitates management continuity, ensures operational stability across the five acquired sites, and underpins the strategic cross-selling of polymer and cleanroom manufacturing capabilities to the combined global customer base.

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.

Alliance Etiquettes has completed its eighth external growth operation since 2015 with the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of 5 Sept Etiquette. This strategic transaction significantly reinforces the group's presence in the Southeastern France region (Provence / Rhone Valley), a critical area for premium wine production. The deal integrates a company with unique digital know-how and a complementary client portfolio. While the financial terms were not disclosed, the acquisition adds EUR12 million in revenue to Alliance Etiquettes, further consolidating its position as a market leader. The founder of 5 Sept Etiquette, Patrick Wack, exits the business following this transaction.

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.