H.I.G. Capital, a leading global investment firm, announced today that its affiliate has completed the acquisition of an equity interest in Aviapartner, thereby becoming the majority shareholder alongside the Group's Chairman and management.
Aviapartner is a leading European provider of airport ground handling services with 60 years of experience. Aviapartner provides ground handling services for passengers and aircraft across 27 airports in 5 European countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands). The Group, which generated sales of over €350 million in 2014, employs over 6,000 people and serves more than 50 million passengers per year.
With the support of H.I.G. Capital, Aviapartner will accelerate its growth and development strategy, notably through acquisitions and by expanding its operations in other European countries and in the fast-growing African market. H.I.G. Capital has substantial operating, strategic and financial experience, enabling it to contribute meaningfully to companies actively looking for build-up opportunities and facing strategical changes.
Aviapartner's shareholders and managers share the same goal of driving the Group's sustainable and international growth in order to consolidate its leading position in the European market and pursue its development outside of Europe.
Olivier Boyadjian, Managing Director of H.I.G. Capital in Europe, commented on the acquisition: "H.I.G. Capital is proud to become Aviapartner's main shareholder alongside its Chairman Laurent Levaux. Our common ambition is to help Aviapartner consolidate its European leadership through new acquisitions and the development of new services. H.I.G. Capital's experience in assisting companies undergoing structural changes will be a key advantage to support Aviapartner in its expansion strategy."
Laurent Levaux, Chairman of Aviapartner, added: "Aviapartner is delighted by the arrival of a new major shareholder such as H.I.G. Capital. Their experience will allow Aviapartner to benefit from the financing means necessary to implement its growth strategy and consolidate its leadership in the ground handling services market. We have already earmarked several external growth opportunities which will enable Aviapartner to extend its network beyond the 27 airports currently served by the Group."
About Aviapartner
Aviapartner is an international provider of airport ground handling services headquartered in Brussels. The Group handles over 300,000 flights on behalf of over 400 airlines and around 50 million passengers. Aviapartner is a leading European provider serving 27 airports. The Group employs around 6,000 people and generated sales of c. €350 million in 2014.
About H.I.G. Capital
H.I.G. is a leading global private equity and alternative assets investment firm with more than $17 billion of equity capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York and San Francisco in the U.S., as well as international affiliate offices in London, Hamburg, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Rio de Janeiro, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to small and mid-sized companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach:
1. H.I.G.’s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses.
2. H.I.G.’s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as on the secondary markets. H.I.G. is also a leading CLO manager, through its WhiteHorse family of vehicles, and manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance.
3. Other H.I.G. funds invest in various real assets, including real estate and shipping.
Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 200 companies worldwide. The firm's current portfolio includes more than 80 companies with combined sales in excess of $30 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at www.higcapital.com.
