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Gimv NV — Annual Report 2018
May 25, 2018
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Annual Report
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Gimv at a glance
Investing in tomorrow's market leaders
We accelerate the growth of ambitious and innovative companies and guide them in their transformation into the market leader in their niche. We regard ourselves as a temporary, but solid and experienced partner of our portfolio companies, each of which having a solid growth ambition.
Four investment platforms inspired by macrotrends
Our strategy starts from a number of significant social and economic macro trends, which we have incorporated into four investment platforms: Connected Consumer, Health & Care, Smart Industries and Sustainable Cities.
We have a successful track record of identifying entrepreneurial and innovative companies. Through our expertise and business models, we create added value at every stage of their life cycle. We focus primarily on companies that have the potential and ambition to become a leading player in their sector.
Growth potential as a starting point
Within various sectors and niche markets, our international and multidisciplinary investment teams detect companies with great potential and, together with management, outline the growth trajectory: growth through technological innovation, growth through international expansion, buy-andbuild, new concepts or services ...
Thanks to our proactive approach, our accumulated expertise, and a clear formulation of the joint value creation trajectories at the start, we can increasingly distinguish ourselves in a competitive market.
Proven results over the past years
Our portfolio companies were able to translate their growth ambitions into strong results over the past years. This is shown by a solid growth in both turnover and profitability which was high above the market average, which allowed us to achieve an annual return on our platform portfolio of 20% over the past 4 years.
"Through our expertise and business models, we create added value for our portfolio companies at every stage of their life cycle."
Ambition and focus on growth give strong year
Dear Shareholders,
2017-2018 was a strong growth year for our investment company. In an economy that is regaining momentum and a highly competitive market, we invested a record amount of equity capital, not least thanks to the continued enthusiasm of the teams of both Gimv and the portfolio companies.
Strong results in an economy regaining momentum
The economy moved up a gear in the past year, thanks to additional stimulus from the monetary authorities and after a very long period of recession and hesitant recovery. The subsequent business investments and job creation increased consumer confidence.
At the same time our ambitious teams - at Gimv and in our portfolio companies - did their utmost to translate our shared focus on growth into strong results. Thanks to their efforts, sales and operating cash flow of our overall portfolio grew by a good 10%.
An eye for growth potential
Our portfolio companies continue to present strategic interest to potential buyers, making them strong potential sources of profit for Gimv. For example, after successful journeys with Gimv, growth companies like Luciad, Brakel, Almaviva Santé and Mackevision today find themselves parts of even larger companies, where they can continue to excel. These exits in turn produced attractive capital gains for Gimv.
Gimv invested a record EUR 246 million of equity in the past financial year. This took place in a highly competitive market, where
- based on our specialization and experience - we were searching more than ever for growth potential and investment opportunities. New and promising companies were added to the portfolio: Cegeka (Smart Industries in Belgium), Stiplastics Healthcaring (Health & Care
"Our teams and shareholdings translated growth ambitions into strong results."
in France), WEMAS (Sustainable Cities in Germany) or Snack Connection (Connected Consumer in the Netherlands), to mention just a few.
Hilde Laga Chairman
Portfolio well positioned for the future
A sharper focus on our platform-based ambitions (i.e. growth in the selected sectors of Connected Consumer, Health & Care, Smart Industries and Sustainable Cities) puts our young portfolio of 54 growth companies in pole position for the future. Driven, dynamic teams, both at Gimv and at the shareholdings, are working hard to realize these ambitions.
Investing in autonomous growth is a key priority here, in combination with buy-andbuild strategies through additional acquisitions and a continued commitment to innovation and digital trends. Building Leading Companies.
Further expansion of talented teams
During the year, Gimv continued to expand the teams in its four offices in Paris, Munich, The Hague and Antwerp. We attracted new talents with an international mind-set, and also took a close look at our overall cost and management structure.
It is therefore with confidence in our future that we will again be paying you a significant cash dividend of EUR 2.50 per share. Over the past years we have dividended out approximately half our net profit, leaving funds available to finance the further growth of Gimv itself.
On behalf of our Board of Directors, we wish to thank the many thousands of employees at Gimv and at our shareholder companies for their ambitious commitment and trust in our company.
Hilde Laga, Chairman, and Koen Dejonckheere, CEO
2017-2018 at a glance
Gimv had a busy year with a high level of investment, attractive exits with lots of strategic interest from industrial players, and strong results from a growing portfolio, thanks in part to internationalization and buy-and-build.
may 2017
june 2017
Teads
ImCheck Therapeutics
Investment in French immuno-oncology start-up ImCheck Therapeutics to enable it to bring its lead candidates to the clinical development phase and advance in its other development programmes.
10% GROWTH IN SALES & OPERA-TING CASH FLOW
MVZ Holding
Investment in the MVZ Holding, a leading Swiss group of medical practices. Gimv will support the team strategically and financially in the further implementation of their growth strategy.
Cable and telecom operator Altice acquires French online video advertising company Teads. We are happy being able to contribute to the growth of Teads into a global company and leading adtech player.
Greenyard
Completion of the sale of our shares in Greenyard, a Belgian global player in fruit and vegetables.
july 2017
Arseus Medical
Investment in the growth of Belgian company Arseus Medical, a leading distributor of medical equipment and consumables. Gimv will be supporting the company in its further internationalization and in strengthening its market position.
Snack Connection
Gimv invests in Dutch company Snack Connection, a leading supplier of nuts that wants to grow in the European market.
RES
Gimv sells its interest in RES, the Dutch digital workplace innovator, to American Ivanti, a global leader in integration and IT management of the digital workplace. During the investment period, Gimv successfully guided RES in its growth into a global software player.
september 2017
Cegeka
Gimv takes a stake in Belgian ICT company Cegeka to support its ambition of expanding geographically and consolidating its position in existing markets, with organic growth and a buy-andbuild strategy.
WEMAS
Gimv acquires a majority stake in WEMAS , a leading German provider of passive mobile road safety equipment. WEMAS is keen to expand its core activities to surrounding road safety markets and further internationalize.
Marco Vasco
Gimv sells its stake in Marco Vasco, a French online tour operator and travel agency specializing in customized long-distance travel, to the Figaro group.
october 2017
Almaviva Santé
Gimv sells its investment in Almaviva Santé, France's fifth largest private hospital group, to Antin Infrastructure Partners. After an intensive growth path of acquisitions, mergers and organic growth, Almaviva has grown from 7 clinics in and around Marseille to a leading group of 30 clinics in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Paris regions.
12 NEW PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
Luciad
Swedish-
headquartered and listed Hexagon AB acquires our stake in Belgian Luciad, a leading provider of high performance geospatial situational awareness technology. We partnered with Luciad while it evolved from a startup to a leading player in world class geospatial software.
Biom'Up
French biotech company Biom'Up is successfully launched on Euronext Paris.
november 2017
AgroBiothers
Gimv becomes the new majority shareholder of AgroBiothers, a French producer and distributor of pet care products and accessories. The group is keen to accelerate its growth in the promising European market.
La Croissanterie
Gimv takes a minority stake in La Croissanterie, a French chain of 260 Frenchstyle convenience restaurants in France, the French overseas territories and Africa. La Croissanterie wants to grow in the coming years through further expansion, both in France and internationally.
Brakel
Gimv sells its interest in the Dutch natural climate control and fire safety specialist Brakel to Kingspan. The partnership had strengthened Brakel's market position by enabling the company to develop a stable platform with sustainable products.
Mackevision
Gimv sells its holding in Mackevision to Accenture. As a market leader in Computer Generated Imagery (CGI), Mackevision achieved spectacular growth within a very short period. Organizing and structuring this growth in a sustainable way was a cornerstone of the partnership.
Stiplastics Healthcaring
Gimv invests in French Stiplastics Healthcaring, which designs, develops and produces standard and smart plastic solutions for the pharmaceutical industry and the wider healthcare sector. The complementary healthcare expertise of the shareholders should support the further growth of the French group.
FIRE1
Gimv invests in FIRE1, a medtech company that is developing a new form of heart monitoring. The funding provides FIRE1 the possibility to further develop digital heart monitoring for heart failure patients.
january 2018 february 2018
France Thermes
Gimv takes a majority stake in France Thermes, a French group of thermal spas, to help it implement its ambitious growth plans, through both acquisitions (buy) and internal growth (build).
EUR 107 MILLION NET PROFIT
IMPACT Interim
Gimv acquires a majority stake in the Belgium's fast-growing specialized temporary employment agency IMPACT and project sourcing organization Nova Engineering. The collaboration fits within the group's new-found independence and its ambition to expand its branch network, also outside Belgium.
www.gimv.com
Key figures 2017-2018
Evolution of equity (in EUR million)
Sustainable Cities Smart Industries 10 largest shareholdings (based on NAV at 31.03.2018)
| Third-party funds Company Other participations |
Activities | Rest of Europe Platform Rest of the world |
Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provider of complete HVAC solutions in the residential renovation and new build markets www.ithodaalderop.nl |
Sustainable Cities | the Netherlands | ||
| Producer of decorative wallcovering www.grandecogroup.com |
Connected Consumer | Belgium | ||
| Independent beer group www.udbexport.com |
Connected Consumer | the Netherlands | ||
| Independent European ICT service provider www.cegeka.com |
Smart Industries | Belgium | ||
| Production of substrate for the cultivation of mushrooms www.walkro.eu |
Connected Consumer | the Netherlands | ||
| Subtotal NAV 5 largest shareholdings | 232 million EUR | |||
| Temporary employment agency with 3 focus domains: technology, construction and office www.impact.be |
Connected Consumer | Belgium | ||
| Premium baby strollers my-joolz.com |
Connected Consumer | the Netherlands | ||
| Medical device company active in spine surgery www.spineart.com |
Health & Care | Switzerland | ||
| Software solution company www.itineris.net |
Sustainable Cities | Belgium | ||
| Plastic pallet pooling services www.contraload.com |
Sustainable Cities | Belgium |
Key figures 2017-2018 7
8 Connected Consumer
Connected Consumer
Investment focus
- Health consumer Healthy food trends Sport & Leisure
- Indulgence consumer Fine Food & Beverage Convenience Food Personal Luxury
- Work & life balance Career & Education Home & Deco Baby & Kids Pet products
Changing consumer habits are what the Consumer platform is all about. More empowered than ever, today's consumers are consciously opting for active and healthy lifestyles, are committed to sustainability, and are digitally connected to the whole world through a few clicks. Businesses wanting to connect with them need to evolve at lightning speed in a seamless on/off-line experience. All this presents a superb challenge for our portfolio companies.
In Connected Consumer we work with both young companies founded by digital natives, and established businesses with long and successful track records. These operate B2C and/or B2B from the Benelux, France or Germany, many of them worldwide in niche markets. They are fully committed to flexible commercial strategies and to innovation, including digitization.
Investments and divestments in 2017-2018
In 2017-2018 we invested EUR 83.7 million in a.o. 4 new shareholdings: Snack Connection (the Netherlands), AgroBiothers group (France), La Croissanterie (France), a chain of 260 French-style convenience restaurants, and employment agency IMPACT (Belgium). In addition, Teads, Greenyard and Marco Vasco were completely divested.
"People are seeking a healthy lifestyle or a better work-life balance with selected pamper moments. It is an attractive challenge to think along with our companies on how they can best respond to this."
Dirk Dewals - Managing Partner Head Connected Consumer
www.gimv.com (portfolio)
OVERVIEW PORTFOLIO per 31.03.2018
EUR 280 MILLION IN PORTFOLIO
16 PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
"In the Gimv team, we see a strong partner to help us broaden our range of high quality pet care products and in this way increase our market share."
Julien Jenoudet - Chairman AgroBiothers
Growth through high quality pet care
French group AgroBiothers is a leading European player in pet care. The company stands out for its dynamic growth strategy, quadrupling its sales in the past fifteen years and with the clear ambition to increase its market share in the future.
AgroBiothers
AgroBiothers (www.agrobiothers.com) produces and distributes accessories, hygiene and care products for pets. The group operates in a healthy and stable market segment; consumers today pay lots of attention to and spend large sums on their pets. Thanks to the evolving European regulations for hygiene and care products, prospects for organic growth are good.
With a well-devised strategy, the group has quadrupled its turnover in just over fifteen years. This growth trajectory has been supported by excellent logistics, with AgroBiothers setting up its own production line for its key product ranges (inspired by a vertical integration strategy) and with targeted acquisitions at home and abroad. The quality of its pet care products has allowed AgroBiothers to become a strategic partner for both the food distribution and specialized trade and for e-commerce companies.
Together with the founding family, the Gimv team wants to help AgroBiothers accelerate their growth in this promising market, for example by further structuring the marketing approach with attention to an omni-channel strategy.
Nuts for healthy snacking
The Snack Connection, founded in 2010 in the Netherlands, focuses on the purchasing, processing, mixing and packaging of nuts and seeds. The company supplies private label solutions for the European retail and B2B market. Snack Connection is active in the Netherlands and is keen to grow in the European market.
Healthy food and ease of use are hot in the consumer sphere. Snack Connection (www.snack-connection.nl) is a good example of a company responding to changing consumer patterns. The company thinks along with the retailer from a focus on added value and quality: adapted, innovative packaging, tailor-made formats (e.g. singleperson packs placed near the cash register next to the sweets), and so on.
In the coming years Snack Connection wants to grow into the number 2 in its sector in the Northern European market. Gimv's Connected Consumer team offers added value through its expertise in buy-and-build and its experience in the food sector, following previous earlier investments in companies like Vandemoortele and Greenyard.
115
View the story of Snack Connection in 3' on the Youtube channel of Gimv.
"Based on the conviction that the nuts sector still has a great growth potential, we approached this market proactively, right across Gimv's home markets. That is how we came into contact with Snack Connection. The company perfectly matches our strategy by its focus on healthy food."
Investment focus
- Biotech Drugs, platform technologies, vaccines and diagnostic tests
- Medtech Medical devices, consumables, IT and small equipment
- Health & Care Services Clinics, homecare, integrated elderly care, … but also specialized suppliers to the Health & Care sector
The healthcare sector faces major challenges: growing and ageing populations, an increasing number of chronic diseases, shrinking government budgets, more informed patients and innovative technology. The Health & Care investment strategy is responding to these developments.
The Health & Care portfolio consists of pioneering biotechnology companies, of enterprises developing innovative medical technology and leading healthcare services companies.
Our international multidisciplinary team is familiar with the entire life cycle of a company - from start-up to mature company - and invests right along the value chain. Our team is supported by a strong international network, including experts in health and pharmaceuticals.
Investments and divestments in 2017-2018
The Health & Care team was very busy in 2017-2018, investing EUR 73.8 million in a.o. six new shareholdings: immuno-oncology start-up ImCheck Therapeutics (France), the MVZ Holding (Switzerland), group of medical practices, Arseus Medical (Belgium), a leading distributor of medical equipment and consumables, Stiplastics Healthcaring (France), operating in medical plastics, FIRE1 (Ireland), a medtech company developing a new form of cardiac monitoring, and France Thermes, a French group of thermal spas. At the same time we sold our holding in Almaviva Santé, France's fifth private hospital group, while French biotech company Biom'Up was successfully launched on Euronext Paris.
"When we invest in a company, we are committed to a sustainable longterm relationship. We are looking for a win-win for all those involved: the patient, the company we invest in, ourselves as an investor and society as a whole."
Health & Care 13
OVERVIEW PORTFOLIO per 31.03.2018
20 PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
MVZ HOLDING
Additional investment expertise for healthcare solutions specialist
In January 2018 we welcomed Stiplastics Healthcaring to our Health & Care portfolio. With over 30 years' experience in medical plastics, the company is known for its range of 'intelligent' pill boxes that ensure patients to follow their therapies. But the company aspires to more than that. To help it realize its growth plans at home and abroad, the company's management sought and found in Mérieux & Gimv a duo with complementary expertise.
Founded in 1985, Stiplastics Healthcaring (www.stiplastics.com) designs, develops and produces standard and smart plastic solutions for the pharmaceutical industry and the wider health sector. Backed by 30 years' experience, Stiplastics supports its customers in the entire product development process, from the formulation of the concrete need to marketing. The Group is strongly focused on digitization from its newly created IoC (Internet of Care®) unit. Medical equipment to accompany the e-health markets is designed, developed and produced in a specially designed electronics workshop.
Based in Saint-Marcellin, France, the company employs more than 90 people today at a 10 000 m2 industrial site commissioned in October 2017.
For investing in Stiplastics Healthcaring, Mérieux Développement and Gimv (coinvestment by Gimv and the Gimv Health & Care co-investment partnership) have pooled their complementary healthcare expertise to support the further growth of the French group at home and abroad.
"Gimv has a broad expertise in health care and the necessary financial clout to empower our growth plans."
Jérôme Empereur - CEO and chairman
"We are proud to have been able to make a major contribution to the implementation of the group strategy, the development of the organization, the 'buy-and-build' path, and its financing."
Benoit Chastaing - Partner Health & Care
Almaviva Santé
Hospital group grows with buy-and-build strategy
In October 2017, we sold our interest in Almaviva, France's fifth largest private hospital group, to Antin Infrastructure Partners. At the start of the partnership, in late 2013, the group had seven private clinics. After a very intensive growth path with acquisitions, mergers and organic growth, Almaviva has more than tripled in size to thirty clinics.
Almaviva Santé (www.almaviva-sante.fr) is today number 1 in the PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur) region, with a very strong second growth pool of private hospitals in and around Paris. This hospital group is an example of a successful growth investment that fits perfectly with our Health & Care strategy.
The group was founded in 2007 by its current CEO Bruno Marie to group and consolidate private hospitals in the PACA region. At the end of 2013, Gimv took a shareholding, along with UI Gestion, to help expand Almaviva into a leading private hospital group in France by 2019.
In 2014, Almaviva opened a second region by acquiring its first hospital in Paris, followed in the middle of 2015 by Clinique Arago, one of the best orthopaedic clinics in the French capital, and the merger with Domus Cliniques, a group of 12 private hospitals.
The group covers most medical and surgical disciplines and has an excellent reputation especially in orthopaedics, ophthalmology, cardiology and urology.
A buy-and-build strategy in the health sector naturally starts from economic motives like scale and synergies. Almaviva Santé has successfully distinguished itself from other groups through its focus on ambitious medical projects, the pursuit of medical excellence and the preservation of the individual identity of each of its hospitals.
View the story of Almaviva Santé in 3' on the Youtube channel of Gimv.
16 Smart Industries
Investment focus
ICT
Companies that develop software or provide value-added ICT-services
Engineered Products
Companies that engineer, manufacture and market technical products, equipment and related services
Advanced Manufacturing Companies that differentiate through unique process knowhow and market position
Smart Industries
Almost all companies in very different sectors are confronted with a constantly changing and increasingly global business environment. Technology is speeding up this change, but is also offering companies the opportunity to raise their products and services to a higher level, make their processes more efficient and better serve their customers.
Europe is home to (the headquarters of) many companies that possess unique competence and expertise and occupy distinctive market positions. Enterprises like Mackevision, ALT, Summa or Mega are leading players in their sectors, though not always known to the general public. At Gimv we work together with companies in these 'Smart Industries', to turn them into international leaders in their sectors.
Investments and divestments in 2017-2018
In 2017-2018 the Smart Industries platform invested EUR 39.2 million a.o. in Belgian ICT company Cegeka. At the same time we sold a number of companies to other industrial players after attractive growth trajectories. Mackevision (Germany), a market leader in CGI, was sold to Accenture, Luciad (Belgium), the developer of Geospatial Situational Awareness software, we transferred to Swedish company Hexagon and finally RES (the Netherlands), innovator of the digital workplace, was acquired by American company Ivanti.
"Disseminating internationally technology or technical know-how as the underlying engine for growth, while bringing an alternative view on the company with shared business objectives and on the same wavelength, that's how we see our added value."
Tom Van de Voorde - Managing Partner Head Smart Industries www.gimv.com (portfolio)
OVERVIEW PORTFOLIO per 31.03.2018
10 PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
Growth capital for ICT service provider to consolidate market position and expand geographically
Cegeka is an independent, European ICT service provider. The company helps its clients with IT consultancy assignments, with integrating and offering ICT infrastructure, and with developing and implementing applications and outsourcing.
From our experience in ICT, we at the Smart Industries platform, rate highly Cegeka's continuous focus on innovation. The company also understands the needs of customers like none other. The growth path that Cegeka has taken - led by a broad and driven management team - is impressive.
Since his management buy-out in 1992, André Knaepen has expanded the originally Belgian ICT company Cegeka (www.cegeka.com) from a local to a pan-European IT service provider with facilities in ten countries. The company provides services to customers across Europe and employs some 4 200 people. With current turnover of more than EUR 400 million - a fourteen-fold increase since 2006 - Cegeka aspires to continue this impressive growth route and to double in size again over the next five years.
This means expanding geographically and strengthening its position in existing markets, both organically and through a buyand-build strategy. First, Cegeka wants to increase its market share in those countries where it already operates and where there is still room to broaden its client-tailored services. The growing trend of IT outsourcing is and remains a driver of further growth.
"With this partnership, we want to offer Cegeka the opportunity to accelerate its growth ambitions."
André Knaepen - CEO
"Connecting Luciad to other techno players - here and in the USA - has been an action area since day 1 to which Gimv actively contributed."
Nick Medaer - Partner Smart Industries
Luciad
Helping a high-quality visualization software specialist from start-up to scale-up
Operating in a niche market, Luciad initially a spinoff of the University of Leuven - is today the global market leader in powerful Geospatial Situational Awareness software aimed especially at the security and aviation sectors.
Luciad (www.luciad.com) develops and delivers visualization software that enables the rapid development of powerful Geospatial Situational Awareness applications. These are used for advanced visual analyses based on both static and dynamic location information. For example, Luciad software allows Lufthansa to modify its flight schedules with a press of the button, optimizing the service and cost base simultaneously. Correct decisions can be made quickly on the basis of static and dynamic (big!) data.
Customers worldwide, including Airbus Defence & Space, Boeing, Dassault, Lufthansa Systems, NATO and Unifly, rely on Luciad for high performance, scalable visualization.
When we invested in 2013, Luciad wanted to grow mainly by offering solutions for increasing air traffic and saw huge potential in real-time civil applications.
The partnership with Luciad fitted perfectly into our Smart Industries strategy: superior technology, an untapped growth potential for its advanced products and an experienced and ambitious management team keen to expand the company's leading position in high-quality visualization software.
In recent years, proven concepts for big data applications have matured and contributed to the strategic value of the technology. In October 2017, Luciad was acquired by Swedish Hexagon AB, a global provider of information technologies. Luciad's products fit perfectly with the Hexagon range.
Sustainable Cities
Investment focus
- Companies that enable a more efficient use of resources (B2B services, transport & logistics, waste recycling)
- Products and services that benefit from demand for sustainable alternatives (functional chemicals, HVAC, energy, construction products)
Contemporary society is faced with efficiency issues. Increasing urbanization is challenging us to look for the best ways to organize mobility, energy and the environment, materials and infrastructure. At the same time companies are increasingly focusing on their core competencies and looking at which services they can best outsource. This is creating opportunities for win-win partnerships.
All this forms the heart of the investment thesis of the Sustainable Cities platform. We are looking at a wide range of activities that respond to these challenges and opportunities, in smart mobility and logistics, energy efficiency, new materials, recycling, smart and ecological buildings and infrastructure solutions. We invest in both producers and service providers. In the outsourcing sector, we are interested in activities like maintenance, facility management, safety, inspection and construction.
Investments and divestments in 2017-2018
In 2017-2018 the Sustainable Cities platform invested EUR 31.8 million in a.o. WEMAS (Germany), a supplier of mobile traffic equipment, and sold our stake in Dutch natural climate control and fire safety specialist Brakel to industrial company Kingspan.
"Efficient sustainability transcends national borders and touches the heart of our society: everyone wants clean air, good mobility and suitable (residential) infrastructure. It requires open eyes and minds by our teams to clearly understand the trends, to connect with the broader network and to add value in all our partnerships with our expert knowledge."
Erik Mampaey - Managing Partner Head Sustainable Cities www.gimv.com (portfolio)
OVERVIEW PORTFOLIO per 31.03.2018
EUR194 MILLION IN PORTFOLIO
8 PORTFOLIO COMPANIES
Aiming for safe traffic
WEMAS Absperrtechnik GmbH is a total supplier of certified mobile road safety equipment like protective barriers, signalling beacons, warning lights and traffic cones. The company supplies both wholesalers and service providers in the road safety, infrastructure and construction markets, mainly in the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) region.
More traffic, increasing investment in road infrastructure and stricter safety standards are driving the need for safety products. With its fully integrated value chain and its focus on product innovation, WEMAS (www.wemas.de) is well positioned to develop further in this growing market. The company is keen to continue to grow, both in existing markets and internationally.
Founded in 1971, WEMAS has a turnover of EUR 39 million. Over 120 employees work at the head office in Gütersloh to satisfy approximately 1 400 WEMAS customers in 20 countries
As lead investor, Gimv brought Paragon aboard for this investment in order to grow the company together with management. We see growth opportunities for the company in related road safety segments like electronic signalling and in international markets. We want to realize this growth both organically and through acquisitions.
"WEMAS has already made great strides in product innovation, production improvements and shortening delivery times. From this position, the company can continue to grow by expanding its product range and its international presence."
Markus Schwinn - CEO WEMAS
"Gimv is proud to have been able to support Brakel's further expansion in recent years. By acquiring Argina bv, we strengthened Brakel's position in fire safety in the Benelux."
Rombout Poos - Principal Sustainable Cities
THE NETHERLANDS 400 SUCCESFULLY DELIVERED ACTIVE IN 35 COUNTRIES
Increasing demand for comfortable, sustainable and safe indoor climates
Brakel, a leading European specialist in climate control and fire safety for commercial and industrial buildings, was acquired at the end of November 2017 by Kingspan, a world leader in innovative high-quality insulation materials and solutions for the outer shell of buildings.
For 40 years, Brakel (www.brakel.com) has held a lead position in the Benelux and the UK in high-quality high-end solutions for glass constructions, ventilation and fire safety systems in commercial and industrial buildings. Well-known projects include Arcelor Mittal (Ghent), NATO (Brussels) and Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam).
Brakel meets the increasing demand for a comfortable, sustainable and safe indoor climate, using natural light and fresh air. The company is also responsive to increasingly stringent climate control and (fire) safety standards. Their solutions are sustainable, being manufactured in high-quality recyclable materials like glass and aluminium.
Brakel has its head office in the Netherlands, satellite offices in Belgium and the UK, production in Slovakia and operates in 35 countries through a partner network. Prior to the acquisition by Kingspan, the company employed 400 persons.
Gimv acquired a majority stake in the company in 2015. We supported Brakel in strengthening its market position. Together we built a stable platform with three robust pillars: products, projects and service, and maintenance. In addition, we focused fully on international expansion.
"With Gimv's support, we were able to accelerate our growth ambition."
Ton van Gerwen - CEO Brakel
Key figures
| 31-03-2018 | 31-03-2017 | 31-03-2016 | 31-03-2015 | 31-03-2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated financial statements (in EUR 000) | |||||
| Equity | 1 274 252 | 1 233 177 | 1 167 887 | 1 092 636 | 992 043 |
| Portfolio | 960 369 | 963 585 | 1 013 894 | 920 189 | 930 959 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 380 452 | 313 906 | 192 774 | 184 766 | 56 637 |
| Balance sheet total | 1 356 502 | 1 315 260 | 1 230 329 | 1 136 048 | 1 026 721 |
| Net profit | 107 064 | 131 853 | 137 175 | 135 991 | 14 998 |
| Total gross dividend (1) | 63 567 | 63 567 | 62 295 | 62 295 | 60 576 |
| Investments (own balance sheet) | 246 209 | 179 628 | 130 220 | 154 283 | 194 566 |
| Investments (including co-investment partnerships) |
295 309 | 195 795 | 162 492 | 190 958 | 264 768 |
| Divestments (own balance sheet) | 371 145 | 394 346 | 227 168 | 331 960 | 95 765 |
| Divestments (including co-investment partnerships) |
417 992 | 707 817 | 303 468 | 367 431 | 131 143 |
| Number of employees | 92 | 93 | 95 | 103 | 99 |
| Key figures per share (in EUR) |
| Equity | 50.11 | 48.5 | 45.93 | 42.97 | 40.12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net profit | 4.21 | 5.19 | 5.39 | 5.35 | 0.61 |
| Diluted net profit | 4.21 | 5.19 | 5.39 | 5.35 | 0.61 |
| Gross dividend (1) | 2.50 | 2.5 | 2.45 | 2.45 | 2.45 |
| Share price (on the closing date of the financial year) |
49.15 | 52.31 | 48.5 | 41.89 | 37.12 |
| Total number of shares | 25 426 672 | 25 426 672 | 25 426 672 | 25 426 672 | 24 724 780 |
| Ratios | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-out ratio | 59.4% | 48.2% | 45.4% | 45.8% | 403.9% |
| Net return on equity | 8.5% | 11.0% | 12.6% | 13.7% | 1.5% |
| Gross return on portfolio (2) | 15.8% | 18.8% | 20.0% | 17.3% | 3.8% |
| Premium (+) / discount (-) on equity | -1.9% | 7.9% | 5.6% | -2.6% | -7.5% |
(1) For the financial years 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 paid out as an optional dividend (2) (Realized capital gains + unrealized capital gains on financial fixed assets + dividends + interests + management fees + turnover) / portfolio at start of financial year
Belgium
Gimv NV Karel Oomsstraat 37 2018 Antwerpen +32 3 290 21 00 [email protected]
the Netherlands
Gimv Nederland Holding BV Berlage-Huis Groenhovenstraat 2 2596 HT Den Haag
+31 70 361 86 18 [email protected]
From July 2018 on WTC The Hague Prinses Margrietplantsoen 87 2595 BR Den Haag
France
Gimv France SAS 83 rue Lauriston 75116 Paris
+33 1 58 36 45 60 [email protected]
Germany
Gimv Promenadeplatz 12 80333 München +49 89 442 327 50 [email protected]