Western Europe

Bridges backs sock maker(3)

The UK venture firm with a social mission has invested £1.35 million in a management buyout of SealSkinz, an outdoor clothing maker based in an under-invested part of the UK.

Exponent reunited with Kahn for Cardsave deal(2)

Exponent Private Equity has teamed up with old ally Clive Kahn, the former boss of Travelex, for the £70 million acquisition of Cardsave, a UK-based firm that supplies credit card terminals to small retailers.

Falfurrias buys Bojangles

Fresh from its first fund close, North Carolina-based Falfurrias Capital has bought chicken-n-biscuits chain Bojangles.

GB Merchant Partners sells Spencer’s(3)

Gordon Brothers’ private equity arm has sold specialty retailer Spencer’s Gifts to ACON Investments after streamlining its business and redesigning its stores.

Piper makes 6x return from Las Iguanas(2)

Piper Private Equity has sold its minority stake in UK Latin American-themed restaurant chain Las Iguanas to Bowmark Capital for £27 million, registering a 6 times return with a 40 percent IRR over five years.

European Capital bullish on market woes(5)

The listed debt and equity provider has reported strong quarterly results and increased its dividend expectations, arguing that its “one stop buyout” model gives it a crucial advantage in the current market.

Partners Group profits up 72%(2)

Mid-year profits for Swiss alternative asset manager Partners Group have risen 72 percent compared to the same period last year, while its assets grew more than 60 percent.

Deutsche Beteiligungs exits tool company after nine years

Engineering company A-Tec Industries has bought Dőrries Scharmann Technologie, a machine tool company, from German buyout firm Deutsche Beteiligungs. Mysterious investor group the Arabic Finance Circle is simultaneously attempting to buy a substantial stake in A-Tec.

Carlyle and Advent flip building company(2)

Investment company Arcapita has bought window and door company HT Troplast from The Carlyle Group and Advent International two years after the firms bought the company.

HBoS makes second acquisition this week(2)

Scottish bank HBoS has continued its £1.6 billion buying spree with the acquisition of social housing company Keepmoat.