Investments

Gealan is one of the main manufacturers of PVC profiles for doors and windows. The group offers three ranges of products and operates across the whole of Europe, particularly in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe such as Romania, Slovakia and the Baltic states.

In 2005, Bénédicta was number 1 on the French specialty sauces market and number 2 in France for mayonnaise sauces. The company offers a wide range of products in France and (to some extent) in the UK. The company employs 235 people (including 180 in production and 24 sales staff) at 3 sites: Seclin, Pont-de-Briques and Rueil-Malmaison (head office). The company now earns nearly 85% of its revenues with products under the Bénédicta brand compared to only 60% five years ago.
Building on the reputation of its sales force and on its know-how, Bénédicta is also, since 1 July 2005, the exclusive distributor for products carrying the Italian brand name Carapelli, well known for its various types of olive oil.

Alukon was founded in 1974. The company is a manufacturer of roller shutters, garage doors, exterior venetian blinds, textile sun protection and insect repelling products for windows and doors.
At the time of Ardian investment in 2004, the company had 275 employees and achieved a turnover of €56m in 2003.

Based in Luçon (in the Vendée) and founded by Mister Jean Tessier, the IRM group (Idéal Résidence Mobile) is the French leader in the production and sale of mobile homes.
A pioneer in the market in 2004, the group has increased sales over the last 10 years at an average rate of 25%. Based on an aggressive sales strategy, high quality and innovative products, the competence of its management and an efficient business organization IRM’s market share has risen from around 6% in 1993 to 30% today. The IRM group produces more than 7,500 mobile homes at its 4 production sites in France and in the year 2005-2006 posted revenues of €108 million with an EBITDA margin of more than 11%. The group employs around 550 people.
The IRM product range falls into two categories: (i) “rental” models intended for camp sites and tour operators who rent mobile homes to individuals for seasonal holidays;(ii) “residential” models intended for individuals who use their mobile home as a second residence.

Early 1998, Ardian teamed up with managers of GSI Banque in the takeover of their company. At the time revenues stood at €12m with 80 employees. Six months later, GSI Banque merged with Linedata, an IT firm specialising in management solutions for collective investments and employee savings schemes. The newly constituted group then set out, with the ongoing support of our staff, in pursuit of an intense policy of acquisition. This strategy of build-up culminated in the acquisition of eight firms in Europe and USA in just a few years, followed by the company’s IPO in May 2000. By 2003, when Ardian pulled out, revenue had surged by a factor of 8 to € 100m. Trading margins stand at over 16% and the group employs nearly 700 people in Europe and USA.