OCEA GROUP acquired by EQT PARTNERS

BNP Paribas Développement and Bpifrance entered the capital of Henco to support its transition into a new phase of institutional growth. In this operation, the minority investors provided a combination of equity and quasi-equity to strengthen the group's capital structure and facilitate a major external growth project. The leadership team that took over the company in 2017 remains the majority shareholder, ensuring continuity in management and strategic execution. The primary rationale for this deal was to provide the necessary firepower for Henco to execute a significant buy-and-build strategy, specifically enabling the simultaneous acquisition of a larger competitor to triple the group's overall size (Groupe G3).

The Fauch� Group, France's leading independent provider of energy services and solutions, has completed a new Management Buy-Out (MBO). This transaction, finalized in June 2024, marks a renewed partnership with EMZ Partners, which first supported the management in taking control of the group in 2021. Historical financial partners GSO Capital, Multicroissance, and NMP D�veloppement (investors since 2011) also reinvested.

Aquirian Limited has entered into a binding agreement to acquire the business and assets of Cybem Mechanical Services for an enterprise value of A$3 million. The acquisition is a key step in Aquirian’s strategy to position itself as a leading provider of equipment and technical services. The transaction was fully debt-funded through a new facility with National Australia Bank (NAB). The strategic rationale for the deal includes enhancing Aquirian’s maintenance capacity to support its rental fleet and introducing fully maintained equipment offerings in Western Australia. By integrating Cybem’s experienced leadership and workshop facilities, Aquirian secures in-house expertise to manage asset rebuilds and combat market resource shortages. The acquisition is highly accretive, expected to increase earnings per share by more than 20%.

Ambienta has acquired a majority stake (~60%) in Groupe Cap Vert, taking over control from the family office Evolem. This transaction was executed off-market following a pre-emptive approach by Ambienta, interrupting Evolem's ownership after only 18 months. During this short holding period, the group successfully completed nine build-up acquisitions, significantly expanding its geographical footprint into the South-West and Loire Valley regions of France. Ambienta intends to support the management's continued consolidation strategy to create a national champion in urban green space management.

Cobepa acquired a majority stake in Groupe Climater from Sagard. The deal marks the start of a new growth cycle focused on geographical expansion and energy transition services. The management team and historical founders retained a significant minority stake to maintain the group's entrepreneurial culture.

Ardian, through its Expansion team, has successfully finalized the acquisition of a majority stake in NetCo Group, succeeding IK Investment Partners and Andera Partners. This strategic transaction marks a new phase of international growth for the century-old family business, which remains under the operational leadership of the founding family’s fourth generation. The strategic rationale for the move centers on the accelerating trend of outsourcing industrial maintenance services across Europe and the significant opportunity for consolidation in a fragmented material handling market. By partnering with an organization with deep cross-border expertise, the group aims to accelerate its ambitious M&A policy, which has already seen over 20 acquisitions since 2015. The partnership focuses on expanding the group's footprint beyond its established networks in Benelux and Iberia, specifically targeting high-growth logistics and agro-food industrial hubs in Northern Europe. This integration facilitates the professionalization of the group's technical service offering, providing the strategic depth required to maintain technical leadership in the conveyor infrastructure sector.

LBO France acquired a majority stake in Prenax concomitantly with Prenax's acquisition of LM Information's subscription management activities and its US subsidiary LM Inc. The combined entity — with a total business volume of approximately €250 million — becomes the independent European leader in information subscription procurement, serving large corporates, public institutions, and academic clients across France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Nordic countries. Andera Partners reinvested alongside LBO France through its ActoMezz III fund, having been a minority shareholder for three years prior.

Prenax acquired LM Information's subscription management activities and its US subsidiary LM Inc. in a transaction executed simultaneously with LBO France's majority investment in Prenax. The acquisition is transformative in nature, combining two highly complementary businesses — Prenax's strong corporate client base and Western European footprint with LM Information's deep academic and public sector expertise and presence across Northern and Central Europe — to create the independent European leader in information subscription procurement. The two entities present strong geographic complementarity particularly in Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, with significant synergies expected from the combination.

Acolad Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Amplexor, executing a transformative consolidation within the global language services and content management industry. The tie-up creates an international heavyweight, with the combined group's headcount set to surpass 2,000 employees globally. Strategically, the transaction significantly expands Acolad’s geographic reach into the United States, Eastern Europe, and the DACH region, while unlocking immediate cross-selling opportunities by embedding Amplexor’s advanced digital experience solutions into Acolad's network. Post-merger, the unified group is projected to generate combined revenues exceeding €270 million for the 2020 financial year. The executive leadership will be spearheaded by Acolad's Chairman Benjamin du Fraysseix and CEO Olivier Marcheteau, with Amplexor's CEO Mark Evenepoel supporting the strategic transition. The closing of the transaction remains subject to customary antitrust clearances and regulatory approvals.

HLD Europe acquired a majority stake (~60%) in TSG, the European leader in energy distribution services. The management team, led by CEO Jean-Marc Bianchi, reinvested heavily to retain a significant ~40% stake, ensuring strong alignment for the future transformation. This structure provided the flexibility to execute an aggressive buy-and-build strategy to shift the company's mix from fossil fuels to new energies.