11.2022: Ambienta SGR SpA (“Ambienta”) announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Lässig GmbH (“LÄSSIG”). The German company was previously held by financial investors and the founders Claudia and Stefan Lässig, and Karin Heinrich. With Ambienta being the new majority shareholder in the company, the founders and Karin Heinrich retain a significant stake in the business and the previous financial investors also remain on board. Based in Babenhausen/Germany, LÄSSIG is a leading producer of functional, sustainable and innovative products for babies, children and the whole family, with sales in the DACH region as well as other European
markets. LÄSSIG, with more than 110 employees, was founded by Claudia and Stefan Lässig in 2006 and has since made a name for itself as a top provider of products such as bags, accessories and apparel for the entire family. From innovative diaper bags, which are still among its most successful products, LÄSSIG’s product range has been gradually expanded to include bags/backpacks, toys, crockery for kids, apparel and more. LÄSSIG products can be purchased in about 2,800 traditional retail stores, 50 online stores and via its proprietary online shop www.laessigfashion.de.

LÄSSIG is on a strong growth track and successfully started expansion to other European markets like France and the Benelux countries on the back of the established presence in the DACH region. Ambienta will support the internationalization going forward through its international network and resources. In addition, Ambienta will
drive the digitalization of sales, processes and operations. The company is a Resource Efficiency and Pollution Control investment for the purpose of Ambienta’s investment strategy. The company is a pioneer in the implementation of a holistic sustainability strategy: when developing its products, LÄSSIG concentrates on resource efficiency, renewable and recycled materials, and product durability since product design phase.

Centum Capital provides this public information as a market news, but has not been involved in this transaction.

09.2022: Bregal Unternehmerkapital becomes new majority shareholder of medavis, a leading software provider for radiological information systems (RIS). With its registered office in Karlsruhe/Germany and a market share of around 20%, medavis GmbH is indispensable for radiological practices and clinical departments in the DACH region when it comes to topics such as workflow optimization, process integration and networking. For 25 years, medavis has offered tailored software solutions focused on imaging techniques to doctors, specialist medical personnel and patients. As well as providing stability, reliability and performance, these solutions also offer access to innovative networking opportunities such as telematics infrastructure. The company’s core product, “medavis RIS”, is one of the world’s most innovative software solutions for radiology. It optimizes the entire workflow from scheduling to billing, is scalable up to complex system landscapes with many different locations and can be flexibly integrated into any IT infrastructure. medavis’ web-based solutions also enable networking across locations and communication between radiologists, referrers and patients.

08.2022: Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (“DBAG”) invests in vhf Group (“vhf”), a producer of computer-controlled milling machines for dentistry and industrial applications. DBAG is acquiring approximately one-fifth of shares in vhf camfacture AG, which will act as the holding company for vhf Group going forward. The objective of the investment is to support the company’s further international growth, and to achieve capital markets readiness.

Germany based vhs develops and produces computer-controlled milling machines that are predominantly used by commercial dental laboratories – as well as dentists in their own laboratories – for making dental prostheses. A further high-growth share of revenues is generated from making machines for selected industrial applications. In addition, the control electronics and all the milling tools are developed and manufactured within vhf Group. With more than 10,000 machines already installed in dental practices and laboratories, vhf’s market presence forms the strong basis for a growing tools and services business.

The company was founded in 1988, and the founders so far have been the sole shareholders. vhf now has around 350 employees, most of whom work at the Ammerbuch headquarters and at the second German production site in Fürth (Bavaria). The company also has sales offices in New York City and Shanghai. The Group reported revenues in excess of 46 million euros for 2021.

Centum Capital provides this public information as a market news, but has not been involved in this transaction.

07.2022: Centum Capital is member of GCG Geneva Capital Group, the global network of independant M&A firms. The GCG Dealmakers Report for H1 2022 has just been published: Across the globe, GCG members have closed 115 deals during first six month of this year, with a cumulative value of over USD 1.1 billion (only disclosed deal values). M&A activities of the GCG network spanned across 18 countries and 20 different sectors.

Our member firms have concluded to date more than 4500 transactions, with a cumulative value of over USD 64 billion.

The GCG Dealmakers Report H1 2022 is available to download by >>clicking here<<

07.2022: A fund advised by BPE 4 Unternehmensbeteiligungen has acquired DeutschAkademie Group in Germany. The DeutschAkademie Group is one of the leading private language schools for German courses (German as a foreign language) in German speaking Europe. Founded in 1999, the group teaches approx. 40,000 participants annually (mainly foreign students and expats) at 14 locations in Germany and Austria. The lessons take place either on-site at the language schools or as online courses. In addition, the DeutschAkademie successfully uses digital learning concepts to support participants in their learning process. The group has established a successful brand with a strong market reputation and is known for high-quality teaching classes as well as excellent support for participants. The DeutschAkademie Group was acquired via Management Buy-in, solving the succession of the two founders.

Centum Capital provides this public information as a market news, but has not been involved in this transaction.

06.2022: The investment company Gimv becomes majority owner of workpiece carrier specialist Variotech. Variotech is Germany’s leading manufacturer of innovative workpiece carriers, which are primarily used in fully automated manufacturing processes for transporting and handling components of various forms and sizes. The company’s customized products predominantly comprise reusable, exceptionally durable workpiece carriers that are manufactured almost exclusively from recycled materials by thermoforming.

Established in 1998, Variotech (www.variotech.de), which is headquartered in Nordhorn/Germany, has developed into a successful automation technology specialist in recent years. Variotech’s products are not just critical for transportation within or between sites, but are in particular supporting automated operations during optimised production processes by using individual geometries. Sensitive workpieces such as PCBs or electrical sensors can be safely stored, transported, and precisely positioned. High packing density, stability, torsion resistance and electrostatic discharge are just some of the system’s key attributes and product benefits.

05.2022: A fund of Afinum takes a majority stake in Hartl Group GmbH with ist subsidiaries Adcom Computertechnik GmbH, CPL 24 GmbH and CPL 24 Asset & License Services LLC (“Hartl Group”). Hartl Group GmbH is one of Germany´s leading provider of comprehensive and customized „managed cloud services“, operating ist own state-of-the-art and energy efficient data centre at the highest level of certification standards.

Together with the company’s founder Peter Hartl, who will remain on board as CEO, and the existing management team, Afinum is planning further growth through acquisitions, the further development of new customers in focus markets such as the healthcare sector, a higher penetration of existing customers and a broadening of the range of services.

Centum Capital provides this public information as a market news, but has not been involved in this transaction.

04.2022: EMZ Partners acquires the majority of FotoFinder, the leading provider of skin visualization technology for early skin cancer detection and aesthetics. Founded in 1991, FotoFinder offers products and services to dermatologists, dermatology clinics, hospitals, screening centers and research institutes. The solutions sold combine proprietary AI-based software with industry-leading Automated Total Body Mapping capabilities as well as video dermoscopy devices, forming integrated system solutions for skin imaging. The company fosters close collaborations with universities and opinion leaders in dermatology, and, through its FotoFinder Online Academy, enjoys access to a global network of dermatologists, supplemented by a service portfolio including maintenance, trainings and second opinion services.

Co-Founder and main shareholder Rudolf Mayer withdraws from his shareholding position and entrusts the future success of FotoFinder to co-founder Andreas Mayer, further Mayer family members as well as selected management team members. All of the latter reinvest a significant portion of their proceeds or become new shareholders. Completion is expected to take place in Q2 2022.

Centum Capital provides this public information as a market news, but has not been involved in this transaction.

02.2022: Funds advised by DPE have invested in DARE Group, Germany. DARE specialises in deconstruction/demolition and pollutant remediation work as well as the disposal of construction waste. The company is one of the leading providers of construction waste disposal services in the greater Berlin area, with more than 70 employees and a 22,000 m² treatment plant for hazardous and non-hazardous waste with corresponding storage facilities in accordance with German environmental law. The managing partners Robert Schliewin and Christopher Schmidt-Bleek will continue to manage the company as co-owners and implement the growth and consolidation strategy together with DPE.

DARE provides a wide range of integrated construction and disposal services and can therefore reliably execute challenging and complex projects. Under the current management, DARE has more than tripled its output since 2014 and earned a reputation as a quality leader. With the active support of DPE, DARE will continue to invest in the expansion of local capacities and actively shape the consolidation process of the industry in metroplitan areas across Germany.

Centum Capital provides this public information as a market news, but has not been involved in this transaction.