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M&A

UNIPEX

Acquired by

BNP PARIBAS DEVELOPPEMENT

FRANCE B2B Specialized Distribution EV [1m EUR - 100m EUR] 10/2019

Target

UNIPEX

Acquirer

BNP PARIBAS DEVELOPPEMENT

Context

BNP Paribas Developpement invested EUR8.8 million to acquire a minority stake in Unipex. The management team, retains a two-thirds majority of the capital, while 5% is distributed to key managers. The deal is leveraged with a EUR27 million senior debt package arranged by Societe Generale. This operation allows the senior management (aged ~60) to realize some value while preparing the company for a full sale to a majority PE fund within 3-5 years.

The transaction values UNIPEX at an EV/Revenue multiple of LOGIN.

This transaction is part of the Business Services industry, which currently tracks an average EBITDA multiple of 11.1x since the beginning of 2026, 0.8% increase compared to 2025. 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

Unipex is a distributor of specialty ingredients acting as an intermediary between chemical producers and manufacturers. The company serves the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, and food industries. It distributes approximately 1,700 ingredients to 1,600 clients across France, Benelux, and North Africa. Originally a division of the Unipex Group, it became independent in 2015. In 2018, the company generated EUR92 million in revenue.

Ent. Value

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Equity Value

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Multiples Analysis

EV / Revenue

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EV / EBITDA

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EV / EBIT

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Historical Financials (EUR)

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EBITDA
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2018
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2017
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Other operations with UNIPEX

DateAcquirerTargetCountrySectorDeal Context
03/2022BARENTZUNIPEXFRANCEB2B Specialized Distribution

Barentz acquired 100% of Unipex from its management team and BNP Paribas Developpement (who held ~27%). This transaction marks the successful conclusion of the OBO structure set up in 2019. The deal was negotiated bilaterally (pre-empting a broader auction). Unipex brings EUR90 million in additional revenue and strengthens Barentz's position in France and North Africa, where the Dutch group was historically underrepresented.

mynth data is contributed by M&A / PE professionals and systematically cross-verified against private deal documents and official releases. All source materials are destroyed post-validation to guarantee data anonymity and compliance.