European Capital Invests $25 Million in Groupe Unipex
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European Capital Limited (”European Capital”), announced today that its subsidiary ECAS S.a.r.l. has invested $25 million in Groupe Unipex (formerly Atrium Innovations’ active ingredients and specialty chemicals division), a global firm specializing in the manufacture and distribution of active ingredients, specialty and base chemicals for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, specialty and industrial chemical and nutrition industries. The investment was led by the Paris office of European Capital Financial Services Limited (”European Capital Financial Services”) and supports AXA Private Equity’s acquisition of Groupe Unipex alongside management. ECAS S.a.r.l. has arranged and underwritten the mezzanine bonds for this transaction.
“We are excited to partner again with AXA Private Equity, a leading private equity fund in Europe,” said Jean Eichenlaub, Regional Managing Director Southern Europe, European Capital Financial Services. “Groupe Unipex’s distribution business benefits from strong barriers to entry in diversified and growing niche end markets. The Company is led by an excellent and ambitious management team and has established longstanding relationships with top tier brands owners.”
European Capital has invested over euro 1.4 billion ($2.2 billion) in the last twelve months, euro 318 million ($494 million) year to date and euro 149 million ($231 million) quarter to date. European Capital has assisted in the refinance or syndication of euro 84 million ($130 million) of senior debt for its portfolio companies in the last twelve months and euro 607 million ($942 million) inception to date. For more information about European Capital’s portfolio, go to www.EuropeanCapital.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html.
“Groupe Unipex also owns a portfolio of proprietary products businesses, which offer attractive growth and profitability prospects,” said Etienne Haubold, Director, European Capital Financial Services. “Groupe Unipex has a strong pipeline of products for the fast growing anti-aging and skin care markets.”
“Groupe Unipex is clearly positioned towards value-added specialty ingredients as opposed to commodities,” said Alexandre Bruyelle, Manager, European Capital Financial Services. “Since end-products have mid- to long-term lifecycles and because customers do not tend to substitute key ingredients, revenues are recurring in nature.”
Groupe Unipex’s sales force has longstanding relationships with leading brand owners for whom it offers a broad product offering and a wide range of R&D, technical, regulatory and after-market support services. Portfolio ingredients are either sourced with exclusive agreements from external suppliers or proprietary active ingredients that have been developed, acquired or in-licensed. Groupe Unipex works in a diversified range of growing niche markets within the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, nutrition and specialty chemicals industries.
“The management team of Groupe Unipex is very pleased to partner with AXA Private Equity and European Capital and is looking forward to expanding the business further with them,” said Charles Boulanger, CEO, Groupe Unipex.
“Management plans to double the size of the Company in the next five years, mainly in Europe and in North America, through dynamic organic growth and a focused acquisition strategy,” said Eric Neuplanche, Managing Director, AXA Private Equity. “We rely on European Capital’s demonstrated experience to support the ambitious development plan of Groupe Unipex.”
Source: European Capital Limited
Web site: http://www.europeancapital.com/
http://www.europeancapital.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html
http://www.unipex.com/