S&B INDUSTRIAL MINERALS acquired by IMERYS

The management of Safic-Alcan finalized the acquisition of a majority stake in the group from Parquest Capital. This transaction is a landmark "Management-led Buyout" (MBO) aimed at affirming the company’s independence by placing the founding executives at the center of the capital structure. The deal was supported by a pool of institutional investors providing long-term equity and mezzanine capital. The acquisition financing was underwritten and coordinated by HSBC and Natixis as Bookrunners, with Société Générale joining as Mandated Lead Arranger

Marking a significant milestone in its history, Gault & Frémont has undergone a major restructuring of its capital, with the exit of its historical shareholder, Eurazeo PME, and the entry of new investors, UI Gestion and the company's management team. This transaction represents an important step in Gault & Frémont's strategy of pursuing external growth, both in France and Europe. The company's investment thesis relies on its ability to leverage its expertise in paper and cardboard packaging solutions to drive expansion and improve its competitive positioning

Funds advised by CVC Capital Partners have signed an agreement to acquire 100% of Paroc Group from its existing institutional shareholder group. The transaction marks a new growth phase for Paroc following a successful five-year period of organic expansion under its previous institutional owners. The strategic rationale for CVC is to capitalize on Paroc’s market-leading position in the Nordics and Baltics while supporting its expansion into high-growth regions like Russia. CVC intends to build upon Paroc’s recent success in its higher-value technical insulation division, which benefited from significant investment in the Trzemeszno facility in Poland

The acquisition of Scepter Corporation by Myers Industries represents a pivotal milestone in its strategic refocusing and sector consolidation efforts, coming on the heels of a significant simplification of its operational structure from four to two core divisions. This streamlining enables the company to concentrate its capital deployment on the high-margin handling segment. The integration of Scepter's assets allows for the merging of two complementary product portfolios, expanding the group's global commercial footprint while leveraging its internal engineering infrastructure and state-of-the-art mold design capabilities to accelerate product line renewal

The Management Buy Out operation led by MBO Partenaires allows Dominique Vautier to become the manager and shareholder of the Alkos-Cosmogen group, while Gérard Gieux retains a significant stake in the capital and a strong involvement in the Group's strategy. The key executives become shareholders and will support Dominique Vautier in the implementation of an ambitious strategic plan, based on organic growth, the development of new products, and international development.

Autajon has completed the acquisition of Fincarta from its family shareholders as part of its ongoing strategic expansion into the Italian and North American markets. This transaction follows previous successful acquisitions in Spain (Litoplex and Sinel) and represents a significant step in the group's efforts to consolidate the European premium packaging sector. By integrating Fincarta, the acquirer gains immediate production capacity in Italy and a strategic foothold in the United States, while simultaneously broadening its expertise in the confectionery and spirits segments

Astorg has finalized an agreement to acquire the Kerneos from Materis (Wendel), a maneuver designed to fundamentally transition the business from a subsidiary of a diversified construction conglomerate into a standalone global platform. The strategic rationale for this transaction centers on a "portfolio-emancipation" play, merging the target's industry-leading technical operational depth in calcium aluminates with the sponsor's established expertise in professionalizing mid-cap industrial champions

European private equity firm Cinven has reached a definitive agreement to acquire CeramTec from Rockwood Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ROC). Representing the fourth investment deployed from Cinven’s Fifth Fund, the transaction remains subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to reach completion during the third quarter of 2013. For the seller, Rockwood Holdings, the divestiture is being executed as part of a broader strategic repositioning of the overall Group. The investment strongly aligns with Cinven’s deep sector expertise across both the industrials and healthcare markets

Gerflor has been acquired by Intermediate Capital Group (ICG), a major transaction in the European flooring market that is expected to be finalized by the end of March 2011. ICG's investment in Gerflor is the outcome of a long-standing relationship between the two companies, with ICG having invested in Gerflor since 1992. The acquisition will see ICG support the existing management team, led by CEO Bertrand Chammas, in executing the company's development strategy, including further international expansion and targeted acquisitions

Ardian (then AXA Private Equity) entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Novacap from the private equity firm Bain Capital. The transaction marked the second major LBO for the chemical group since its carve-out from Rhodia in 2003. The strategic rationale for Ardian centered on transforming a primarily French-centric industrial producer into a global specialty chemical platform. The investment plan focused on two main pillars: accelerating international expansion and diversifying the product mix toward high-growth pharmaceutical and health markets