News

- 11/17/2011 - Martine Spécialités

Martine Spécialités, a portfolio investment in MMF IV, has just been awarded the 2011 Prix de l'Aquitaine for Corporate Responsibility. The award serves to promote the finest entrepreneurs in Southwest France. In close to 30 years, more than 300 companies have been nominated for the prize, but only 20 have received the award. Since 2007, Banque Populaire du Sud-Ouest, which founded the award, has joined hands with one of France's leading regional daily newspapers, Sud-Ouest, to give the award a new dimension.

- 11/15/2011 - Planet Sushi

The investment fund MMF IV, managed by Azulis Capital, in concert with Céréa Gestion, has taken a shareholding in the Planet Sushi group, a leading operator in sushi restaurants and home delivery in France. Founded by Siben N'Ser, the group now has some 50 restaurants mainly in France with global sales topping ¤50 million. The group plans to step up its programme of restaurant openings over the next few years. The transaction, which has also seen the management team, steered by Siben N'Ser, strengthened, provides funding to exit a number of minority shareholders and new equity to finance the group's ambitious programme of openings and communication.

- 09/20/2011 - Sitour

The Sitour group, the eighth investment for FCPR MMF IV, is the leading French supplier of merchandising solutions (from labelling to store shelving and POS signage) for supermarkets, hypermarkets and DIY stores. The group generates 28 million euros in sales with a leading brand, Sitour Merchandising. With the support of Azulis Capital, the management team aims to develop its growth in France by focusing on its historic clients, and to associate other actors in related markets with the group.

- 09/05/2011 - Bretèche Industrie

Bretèche Industrie, an MMF III majority shareholding, and a group manufacturing equipment for the food industry, has continued its expansion with the acquisition in July 2011 of Estève, a company based in Rians, in Provence. This business, which specialises in dosing equipment for alimentary powders (flour, in particular), has sales of 14 million euros and employs 110 persons. It has strengthened the group's Bakeries & Mixing division. Bretèche Industrie, which is present in France, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic and Russia, has made acceleration of its international expansion a major priority.

- 08/29/2011 - Savena

MMF III, managed by Azulis Capital, has just sold its stake in the Savena group, which it has partnered since 2007. The Savena group designs and develops complete culinary solutions that are functional or nutritional in nature, for the food industry, mainly in Europe and Asia. Azulis Capital took part, alongside management, in accelerating the group's expansion through four acquisitions, the most recent being in Scandinavia.

- 07/19/2011 - Brunet

MMF III has sold its shareholding in the Brunet group, which it has held since 2006. The group is a major player in the installation, breakdown and servicing market for electricity, heating, air-conditioning and low voltage systems. With the support of Azulis Capital, the managing team has successfully carried out six acquisitions, growing group sales by over 50% over the last four years to over 110 million euros. Brunet is one of the best performing groups in its sector.

- 05/03/2011 - Lagarrigue

MMF IV has made its seventh investment, taking a stake in the Lagarrigue group alongside the management, in an LMBO transaction. The company is one of the leaders in the French market for orthopaedic equipment, with 17 agencies across France.
With the support of Azulis Capital, the Lagarrigue group aims to consolidate its position in the prosthetics and orthotics sector by building up the domestic agency network and with the development of new products to meet the needs of patients.

- 04/13/2011 - Médipole

MMF III, managed by Azulis Capital, has sold the shareholding it has held since June 2007 in Médipole , now the leading player of private clinics in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in France .
'Azulis has been a partner of outstanding quality, always attentive and an excellent advisor on all the aspects of external growth that we reviewed and implemented,' said Marcel Hermann, Médipole's Founder and CEO.

- 03/07/2011 - Julien Hess

Julien Hess joins Azulis Capital as Investment Manager.
With Master's degrees from both Ecole Centrale Lyon and EM Lyon, Julien began his career within Aforge Finance (M&A) in 2005, before taking part to the launch of Mandel Partners in 2008.

- 02/03/2011 - Contemporary art

Alongside its support for the management of small and middle market companies in France, Azulis Capital continues to sponsor contemporary artists.
With the assistance of Art en Direct, Azulis Capital has selected the plastic artist-photographer, Philippe Fabian, in order to develop his career and bring his work to a wider audience. He follows Jean-Francois Rauzier, the inventor of the Hyperphoto concept, as our artist of the year.
Visitors can discover the artist's work on display in our premises from February 3, 2011 to January 31, 2012.
For further information, please click Contemporary Art on our Sponsorship page.

- 01/05/2011 - Brunel

MMF IV, managed by Azulis Capital, has taken a majority stake in the Brunel group, which manufactures a range of top-quality household maintenance products (sold under the brands Starwax, Sinto and Soluvert) and insecticides (Kapo). Its widespread brand recognition and strong innovative capacity make Brunel a leading player in its market niche. The group recorded sales of 62 million euros in 2010 and employs 270 persons.

- 11/29/2010 - AgroFinance Convention

Azulis Capital took part in the ninth AgroFinance convention at the Palais du Luxembourg, in Paris. Pierre Jourdain, a partner at Azulis Capital, who chaired a round table on How Companies are Meeting the Challenge: Defining Winning Strategies, remarked on the convention's success.
"The record number of participants, over 300 professionals, shows the extent to which competition is a central concern for the agribusiness entrepreneurs," he said. Through specific and detailed examples the round tables showed that the most dynamic companies successfully deployed strategies enabling them to generate profitable growth. In particular, the participants appreciated the testimony given by Gilles Charpentier, CEO of Merinvest, and Eric Terré, CEO of Savena, two portfolio companies managed by Azulis Capital.

- 11/23/2010 - Cleor

MMF III has participated in a 3 million euros new capital issue that will enable this jewelry chain to boost its development. The management plans to open a number of new stores and to launch an online shop.

- 10/10/2010 - Martine Spécialités / Européenne des Desserts

Via its holding company, Européenne des Desserts, the group took over the Delmotte/Trois Abers group, leader in the frozen desserts market in France. This acquisition has enabled Martine to broaden its product range and access a new client base in France and abroad. The new global entity resulting from this build-up transaction has combined sales of 107 million euros.

- 10/06/2010 - Azulis Capital / Adie : Elan d'Idées Award

Azulis Capital signed a partnership agreement with Adie in 2007 to support its efforts in favour of micro enterprise founders with an annual entrepreneurial competition, Elan d'Idées. The jury, comprising members of the Azulis Capital team and a number of leading entrepreneurs, selects candidates according to two criteria: the need for additional equity funding and tailor-made coaching in developing their projects. Prize-winners have the benefit of individual coaching and an equity funding in addition to financing by Adie.
The 2010 programme culminated in a prize-giving ceremony for the four finalists, held on October 6, in the presence of Maria Nowak, Adie's President.
For further information, please click Adie on our Sponsorship page.

- 07/22/2010 - Optimum

MMF IV has made its fifth investment, taking a majority stake in the Optimum group through an LBO. Optimum is one of France's leading manufacturers of sliding wardrobe doors, with sales set to reach 70 million euros in 2010. With the support of Azulis Capital, the company intends to accelerate its growth within France and abroad.

- 07/20/2010 - Mader

FSI and Naxicap Partners have joined the capital in the Mäder group, in order to strengthen its equity and grow further, by external growth in particular.
Mäder has assumed a genuine European dimension since MMF II became a shareholder (with sales reaching 175 million euros in 2009). It has become the leading independent operator in high-technology painting and plastering, as well as a major player in the manufacture of resin and composite materials.

- 06/24/2010 - Liévinoise de Participations

MMF II has rung up its third disposal this semester! This was its stake in Liévinoise de Participations, holding company for La Toulousaine and Profalux, specialising in industrial enclosures, shutters, shop grilles, roller blinds, sectional and rolling garage doors. Since the takeover organised by Azulis Capital, Liévinoise de Participations has seen its sales almost treble from a ¤31 million to 92 million euros. Taking over Profalux in 2007 enabled it to double its size.

- 06/18/2010 - Finta / Tharreau Industries

MMF II has sold its shareholding in Finta Technologie, holding company for market-listed Tharreau Industries group. Tharreau Industries specialises in the production of non-woven materials made in particular for the automobile industry, healthcare, footwear and the home.

- 05/31/2010 - Sofibo

MMF III has sold its investment in Sofibo through a capital replacement transaction led by the company's founders. Thanks to its strong positioning in the young chic jeune habitat segment, Sofibo has recorded strong business growth, with sales climbing from ¤81 million to 120 million euros. What's more, with the support of Azulis Capital, Sofibo established a base in China, carried out an external transaction in Poland, and entered new export markets.

- 05/25/2010 - Annual Investor Meeting

At its Annual Investor Meeting, Azulis Capital organised a round table on the theme of The Company as a Major Contributor to Sustainable Development.
Chaired by Eric le Gouvello (Edaxis Consulting), with the participation of Estelle Mironesco (Vigéo, SRI/Extra-financial ratings agency), and the testimony of two portfolio company managers, Gilles Charpentier (Meralliance, smoked salmon producer) and Guy Portmann (France Terre, real estate promotion), the round table was the opportunity for a rich, interactive debate with contributions from the floor.

- 05/12/2010 - Star's Service

MMF II, managed by Azulis Capital, has sold its stake in the Star's Service group, last mile logistics specialists. The group has undergone major development since MMF II's entry , tripling its sales from 15 million euros to 76 million euros to become the leading French player in the field.
Founding-Director Hervé Street plans to continue its development as a majority shareholder.

- 05/11/2010 - Les Echos Annual LBO Conference

The French financial daily, Les Echos, in association with Capital Finance and Afic, has organised its Seventh Annual LBO Conference. Azulis Capital was speaker at the round table on fund raising.

- 04/30/2010 - Clinique des Vallées

MMF IV has taken a shareholding in the Clinique des Vallées group as co-lead with LFPI Gestion. The group is a major player in the psychiatric clinics field in the Rhône-Alpes region, in southeast France, with sales of 17 million euros. After winning national renown in the treatment of young adult eating disorders, such as anorexia, the Clinique des Vallées group intends to broaden its services mainly through the acquisition of new clinics.

- 04/30/2010 - MMF IV

Azulis Capital has made the final closing of the FCPR Middle Market Fund IV (MMF IV) with a total commitment of 225.8 million euros.

- 03/09/2010 - Nominations

Gilles Auffret, General Operations Manager at the Rhodia Group, has been nominated Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Azulis Capital; he joins its Consultative Committee.
Vincent Mercier joins Azulis Capital's Consultative Committee as Chairman. He is currently Chairman of the Paris Office and a Member of the Executive Committee of the strategy consulting group, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.

- 02/15/2010 - Grands Prix 2010 Private Equity Magazine

Azulis Capital has been nominated for the Grand Prix for Small Cap funds alongside four other funds.

Archives

- 12/15/2009 - Expert Encounters organised by Option Finance

Azulis Capital is taking part in Expert Encounters, organised by Option Finance, and will be speaking in the debate on Private Equity.

- 12/01/2009 - Contemporary art

Six breath-taking masterpieces by art photographer Jean-François Rauzier are presented for 6 months on the premises of Azulis Capital. Jean-Fraçois Rauzier is the inventor of the Hyperphoto concept, each of his works is a virtual image assembling hundreds of photographs taken through a telephoto lens and assembled by computer. The resulting recomposed digital image breathes life into the artist's dream-like world.

- 11/18/2009 - Thermcross

Azulis Capital sells its stake in Thermcross, a portfolio company specialising in the distribution of spare parts for heating systems.

- 10/20/2009 - Growth Capital Day

Azulis Capital sponsored the Growth Capital Day organized by Afic to the benefit of private equity Lp's ans Gp's with a series of round table discussions. One, focusing on the possible impact of the crisis on Growth Development, will have Azulis Capital as speaker.

- 09/15/2009 - Caroline Chemel

Caroline Chemel joins Azulis Capital as an Investment Manager.
With a postgraduate diploma and Master in Finance, from the University of Paris Dauphine, Caroline began her career at Barclays Capital in London in 2005, before moving to Houlihan Lokey in 2008.

- 07/06/2009 - Novasep

Novasep is continuing to expand abroad with the acquisition of the Belgian company, Henogen. This strengthens its position in the biosynthesis sector with two new production sites near Charleroi in Belgium.

- 04/09/2009 - Prodene Klint

Shareholders in Laboratoires Prodene Klint stage OBO with Azulis Capital. The Group is currently the leader in the French market for B2B cosmetics and hygiene, a dynamic industry that is meeting growing demand from institutions, business and individuals for hygiene products.

- 04/03/2009 - Galedo Rossignol

Azulis Capital finalises capital replacement deal with Finag, forging close alliance with its management team.
The Finag group has been built around three activities: design and distribution of bathroom accessories by Galedo, wholesaling flat kitchen furniture kits, by Bois Secs de Bourgogne (BSB), manufacture and distribution of metal and plastic bathroom and sanitary fittings, by Rossignol SA.
The group works in close collaboration with all France's players in DIY superstore retailing, and has enjoyed steady growth thanks to its product know-how and very broad range of solutions.

- 03/09/2009 - Banexi Capital Partenaires becomes AZULIS CAPITAL

The Team at Banexi Capital Partenaires, which has just raised its stake in the management company to 100%, has decided to change the company's name.
Banexi Capital Partenaires now becomes AZULIS CAPITAL.

- 03/02/2009 - Martine Spécialités

Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), in conjunction with Céréa Gestion, organises the takeover of the Martine Specialites Group, a dynamic player in the frozen patisserie sector.
Azulis Capital, Céréa Capital and the management intend to continue and accelerate the firm's growth in France and abroad.

- 02/26/2009 - Cleor

The Cleor Group, specialising in retail jewelry outlets, has raised new fund which was entirely subscribed by his current financial partners.
This latest fund raiser will enable the Cleor Group to strengthen its financial structure and provide it with the resources needed to maintain its sustained pace of development.

- 01/11/2009 - Fund Rankings for 2009, Private Equity Magazine (Vol. 51)

Azulis Capital has been ranked in top place in the Five Year ranking (2005 -2009) of funds in the ¤30 million to ¤75 million segment. For investments carried out in 2009, Azulis Capital came second thanks to three deals it completed during the year.

- 01/11/2009 - Fund Rankings for 2009, Private Equity Magazine (Vol. 51)

Azulis Capital has been ranked in top place in the Five Year ranking (2005 -2009) of funds in the 30 million euros to 75 million euros segment. For investments carried out in 2009, Azulis Capital came second thanks to three deals it completed during the year.

- 12/01/2008 - ADIE

ADIE, sponsored by Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), will celebrate its 20th anniversary evening at the Théâtre du Trianon to honour the company founders that showed their confidence in the association by financing its project.

- 11/27/2008 - AgroFinance symposium

Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), is to take part in the 8th AgroFinance symposium, to be held at the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris. Michel Rowan, Managing Partner at Azulis Capital, will give the closing address on 'The new face of finance and sector structure'.

- 11/12/2008 - ADIE

The 2008 Elan d'Idées competition organised by the Adie, a French association promoting business initiatives and supported by Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), is to be held on November 12 when this year's five winners will be announced. For more information please see 'Partnership'.

- 11/04/2008 - Paprec

Following an initial capital replacement deal carried out in July 2008, Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), has sold its entire stake in the recycling specialist, Paprec, which has grown significantly over the last three years and extensively diversified its business.

- 11/03/2008 - Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires) : new offices

As of 3 November 2008, the team Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires) will welcome you into its new offices at 21 boulevard de la Madeleine, 75001 Paris.

- 09/30/2008 - Pisto

Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), Bridgepoint Capital and BNP Paribas Developpement have devested their stake in French service company Pisto in a trade sale to Australian infrastructures/services giant Macquarie group.

- 09/22/2008 - Thermes Adour

Since Azulis Capital's entry (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires) in Q3 2006, Thermes Adour, leading French player in thermal baths, has been successfully rolling-out its Calicéo spa centre concept. Following Dax and Toulouse, the group has opened two new centres in Pau and Perpignan, and is now planning to add two more in Lyon and Nantes.

- 06/04/2008 - Paprec

The French recycler, Paprec announces that Financière Agache (Arnault group) has taken a 38% equity stake in the company on the occasion of a capital increase and a stock purchase from prior investors. The transaction amounted to euro 100 million. This has provided partial liquidity for MMF III, managed by Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires). As a result, the Paprec group is tackling a new stage in its development endowed with the financial capacity to deploy an active external growth programme. Since the buyout arranged by Azulis Capital in April 2006, the group's business has grown some 45%.

- 05/28/2008 - Orapi

Orapi, a manufacturer and distributor of maintenance and hygiene products (listed on Eurolist C), announces its takeover of one of its competitors, Chimiotechnic. The deal marks a major step in Orapi's dynamic external growth strategy. In 2007, the group acquired Gramos Applied UK and DACD.

- 02/15/2008 - Mäder

At the end of a year busy with acquisitions, the Mäder group, a specialist manufacturer of industrial paints, faces 2008 with confidence. No less than five take-overs were carried out over the last 12-months, enabling the group to reach sales of euro 175 million and becoming the world leader in painting applications for railroad industry and automobile plastics.

- 01/21/2008 - Brunet

Electrical services supplier Brunet, acquired at the end of 2006 via an OBO deal led by Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), announces it's take-over of Bataille in Normandy. The deal marks the group's largest acquisition since its foundation and will boost sales by euro 10 million.

- 12/14/2007 - HBP

Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires) takes part, within the framework of an Owner Buy-Out, in a capital replacement deal with HBP. HBP Associés is one of the leading independent French suppliers of professional telephone systems and network cabling solutions, and the main player in the national grouping, Alliance.Com.

- 12/07/2007 - Saveur

The Saveur Group, controlled by private equity funds managed by Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires) and Céréa Gestion, purchases Alsace-based Nutrinal, a specialist producer of food additives.

- 11/27/2007 - Médic Invest

MMF III takes a minority stake in the Medic Invest group, which runs 20 retirement homes (close to 1000 beds) throughout France.

- 09/25/2007 - Saveur

Azulis Capital (formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), in conjunction with Céréa Gestion, organises the takeover of the Saveur Group with the support of its founder, Eric Terré.
Based in Bréal-sous-Montfort in northwest France since 1988, the Saveur group specialises in the formulation of culinary ingredients intended mainly for the food industry.
Saveur is the market leader in France, with very strong positions in Belgium and Germany.
With the support of Azulis Capital and Céréa Gestion, Eric Terré and his management team aim to accelerate the group's development both in France and internationally, mainly through external growth transactions.

- 06/25/2007 - Médipole Sud Santé

MMF III, a private equity fund managed by Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), takes a stake in Médipole Sud Santé in the course of a capital expansion deal.
Médipole Sud Santé is the owner-operator of the leading hub of private clinics in all the Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics (MSO) healthcare segments in Aude and the Perpignan region in the South of France. It has particularly strong skills in urological, orthopaedic and cardio-vascular surgery.
The group's ambition is to build an unchallengeable position as a healthcare operator across the affluent South of France.

- 01/29/2007 - Lampe Berger

Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), acting through the FCPR MMF III, has taken control of the Lampe Berger group, together with CIC Finances and M3 Investissements.
Founded in 1898, Lampe Berger has built itself into a world leader in ambient perfumes and interior decoration.
The managers who organised the group's first MBO in 1996 are seizing this opportunity to retire from their operational role, but seek to participate in the buy-out while retaining a minority stake.
Philippe Lentz, who joined the group in October 2004, takes over the reins from the outgoing managers to become CEO of the Berger Group.
Hervé Lesieur, ex-CEO of Décléor, becomes Chairman of the Group's Supervisory Board.

- 01/15/2007 - Cleor

Cleor welcomes MMF III, which is managed by Azulis Capital(formerly Banexi Capital Partenaires), taking a minority stake in its capital.
Founded in 1997 and led by Gilles Bennejean and Pierrick Chatron-Michaud, Cleor is a jewellery store chain with 35 outlets.
Cleor has developed the specialist know-how to drive its expansion both by rolling out more outlets and through the acquisition of competitors. It successfully took over some 20 Goldy stores in 2003. Strengthened by this experience, Cleor plans to open or buy ten stores a year through to 2009 and expand its territorial coverage.