Founded in 1898, Laboratoires Anios specialises in disinfection solutions for the healthcare sector, including hospitals, clinics and medical professions. The group is also active in the food processing, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, lodging and catering sectors. Present in 80 countries, the company generated revenues of around €220 million in 2015.
Over the last three years, growth at Laboratoires Anios has accelerated sharply, in particular through the purchase of Soluscope (France) in 2014, followed by the acquisition of majority stakes in Endoclear (Brazil) and Deren (Turkey) in 2015. Most recently, the acquisition of the hospital disinfection businesses of Inibsa (Spain) and Hysis (France) in 2016. Company has thus grown revenues by more than 20% and its workforce by around 50%, with Laboratoires Anios currently employing some 700 people around the world, of which almost 540 in France.
The combination project reflects the shared desire of Ardian and of Bertrand and Thierry Letartre, to find a long-term, strategic shareholder to continue Anios' growth. The partnership with Ecolab will enable Anios to accelerate its international growth, and strengthen the positions of the new Group in Europe in the hygiene and disinfection market for hospitals and clinics.
Bertrand and Thierry Letartre, CEO and deputy CEO of Laboratoires Anios, said: "We are very happy about the prospects offered by partnering with Ecolab. The strength of the Anios brand, combined with the global presence of Ecolab, will enable us to accelerate our development. It will also be an opportunity to offer new and exciting career prospects for Anios employees, and to offer our clients new innovative solutions. This will be a new chapter in the history of Anios, after the partnership with Ardian, which has been a real pleasure and has supported the strong growth that the company has experienced over recent years."
Philippe Poletti, Head of Ardian Mid Cap Buyout, added: "I would like to thank Bertrand and Thierry Letartre for the confidence they have placed in Ardian over these last few years. Our respective teams have worked together fantastically well, enabling Anios to fulfil its development programme. This transaction reflects our ability to work alongside family entrepreneurs in ambitious growth projects."
The proposed transaction is still subject to the approval of the anti-trust authorities. Staff representatives at Laboratoires Anios have been informed and are currently being consulted for their opinion on the proposed transaction, which could take place by the end of the year.
ABOUT ARDIAN
Ardian, founded in 1996 and led by Dominique Senequier, is an independent private investment company with assets of US$55bn managed or advised in Europe, North America and Asia. The company, which is majority-owned by its employees, keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and delivers investment performance to its global investors while fuelling growth in economies across the world. Ardian’s investment process embodies three values: excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship.
Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 430 employees working through twelve offices in Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid, Zurich, New York, San Francisco, Beijing, Singapore, Jersey and Luxembourg. The company offers its 490 investors a diversified choice of funds covering the full range of asset classes through Ardian Funds of Funds (comprising primary, early secondary and secondary activities), Ardian Private Debt, Ardian Direct Funds (comprising Ardian Mid Cap Buyout, Ardian Expansion, Ardian Growth and Ardian Co-Investment), Ardian Infrastructure, Ardian Real Estate and customized mandate solutions with Ardian Mandates.
ABOUT LABORATOIRES ANIOS
No. 1 in France and European leader in the disinfection market, Laboratoires Anios has manufactured disinfection products since 1898. A major player in hygiene for hospitals, clinics and the medical professions, Laboratoires Anios is also active in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food-processing industries, as well as in the lodging and catering sector, in France and in over 80 countries. In 2015, it generated revenues of around €220 million. With some 700 employees, 2 production sites and a 1,000m² research centre in northern France, 1 production site in the south of France and 4 foreign sites (in Italy, Turkey, Argentina and Brazil), Laboratoires Anios produces 120,000 bottles per day in France and has 12,000 business customers. Hysis is its fifth acquisition since Bertrand Letartre, Thierry Letartre and Ardian, the independent private investment company, bought a majority stake in the family business in December 2013.
LIST OF ARDIAN AND ANIOS PLAYERS INVOLVED IN THE TRANSACTION
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Laboratoires Anios
- Bertrand Letartre, Thierry Letartre, Nicolas Severyns, Virginie Meleux-Dumortier
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Ardian
- Philippe Poletti, Thibault Basquin, Alexandre Vannelle, Alexis Manet
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Legal advice
- Weil Gotshal & Manges (David Aknin, Jean-Baptiste Cornic, Romain Ferla)
- EY Société d'Avocats (Lionel Benant, Jean-Christophe Sabourin, Julie André)
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Sale-side due diligence
- EY Transaction Advisory Services (Gratien de Pontville, Stéphane Seguin)
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M&A advice
- Oddo Corporate Finance (Frédéric de Villèle, Laurent Bonnin)