EQT, a global investment organization, has announced that the EQT VII Fund will sell Apleona Group GmbH to PAI Partners SAS.
Apleona, based in Neu-Isenburg, offers both technical building management services as well as infrastructural and commercial building management as part of an integrated offer. EQT acquired the company in 2016 as part of a carve-out from Bilfinger, a listed German industrial conglomerate.
With EQT, Apleona has developed into a focused and leading facility management provider in the DACH region, the company added.
Commenting on the development, Dr. Andreas Aschenbrenner, Partner at EQT Partners, said: “Apleona is the market leader in the field of technical and integrated facility management. The company has a strong platform that forms an ideal starting point for further market consolidation. Apleona is therefore ideally positioned to gain further major customers as a trusted partner. We thank Dr. Jochen Keysberg, the CEO of Apleona, the extended management team, the supervisory board and the advisory board as well as all employees for supporting the path taken jointly by EQT and Apleona. “
Matthias Wittkowski, Partner at EQT Partners, added: “This transaction underscores EQT’s position as a market-leading investor in the service sector. We are proud to have accelerated the development of Apleona along with Jochen Keysberg and his team along our core themes of growth, digitization and sustainability. “
With more than 20,000 employees, Apleona manages tens of thousands of buildings with branches in over 30 countries. The company offers its customers a wide range of services with the aim of reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions from buildings, among other things. This makes Apleona a central service provider for companies that want to improve their environmental balance.
Dr. Jochen Keysberg, CEO of Apleona, added: “We really appreciated the partnership with EQT. Today we can see the successes. Apleona has benefited greatly from EQT’s expertise and the investments made since the spin-off from Bilfinger. We have a lead in digital products and in the automation and digitization of business processes and a proven track record in sustainability initiatives on behalf of our customers. Now we are looking forward to the next chapter together with our new partner PAI. In the next growth phase we will concentrate on growth through M&A activities as well as further organic growth supported by our competitive advantages and digital solutions. “
Ralph Heuwing, Partner at PAI Partners, said: “We are very excited about the acquisition of Apleona. It’s a company that fits in perfectly with our investment philosophy. Apleona is a leader in the attractive market for technical and integrated facility management. EQT and the management team around CEO Dr. Jochen Keysberg positioned Apleona ideally for the expected consolidation and laid the foundations for efficiency, digital processes and continuous growth. We look forward to driving this successful development forward together. “
Philipp Meyer, Managing Director at PAI Partners, added: “PAI has already successfully invested in the technical building services segment in the past. Apleona is uniquely positioned in the structurally growing DACH region and impresses not only with its operational development, but also with its steadily growing portfolio of attractive customers. “
The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close in early Q2 2021. Deutsche Bank acted as advisor to EQT.
EQT funds have stakes in companies in Europe, Asia and North America with total sales of more than EUR 27 billion and around 159,000 employees. EQT supports its portfolio companies in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership .
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