Realization of Legacy Investment Specializing in PVC Piping Systems for the Agricultural and Greenhouse Sector
Andrew Nikou, OpenGate Capital’s founder and CEO commented, “We believe that Omniplast stands for global innovation in the fields of piping and fitting systems. I am incredibly proud of the efforts of OpenGate’s European team in the four years since acquiring Omniplast and have now fulfilled our mandate to exit the business at an ideal time. I wish the entire team at Omniplast an abundance of success under their new owners’ stewardship.”
The team at OpenGate Capital responsible for this investment and realization included: Julien Lagrèze, Partner; Sebastien Kiekert Le Moult, Partner; Marc Veillas, Managing Director; and Jonny Leppin, Senior Vice President.
Renaud Delaage, Partner at Reedcapital said, “Omniplast has a tremendous management team that will benefit greatly from the operational resources and entrepreneurial spirit that we will provide. We have a clear path to grow this business organically and through add-on acquisitions.”
Luigi M. Chiaraviglio added: “We are excited to contribute to the growth of this niche leader, whose products are exported globally, into its next phase of development.”
“We brought together investors sharing our philosophy of long-term value creation,” stated Filippo Sciorilli Borrelli, Managing Director of Swiss Merchant Corporation. Borrelli went on to say, “We are eager to start this journey.”
Luigi M. Chiaraviglio and Renaud Delaage led the transaction. Filippo Sciorilli Borrelli led the equity syndication for Swiss Merchant Corporation and played a key role in the execution.
Omniplast has earned a strong reputation and a loyal customer base within the agricultural and greenhouse sector. The business produces and distributes pressure and non-pressure PVC piping systems for the transportation of gases and fluids. Within its diverse product portfolio, Omniplast has developed five quality standards from three-layer non-pressure pipes, to irrigation and KIWA pressure pipes, to pipe-related specialties. The business is supported by forward integrated logistical solutions enabling efficient packaging and transportation. Headquartered in Veghel, The Netherlands, Omniplast has approximately 60 employees.
OpenGate Capital acquired Omniplast through its legacy, pre-fund portfolio as one of three businesses within Ivy Group. At acquisition, Omniplast had two entities in The Netherlands and Germany, which were separated in 2018 as part of a strategy to maximize each entity’s value. The German business, which specializes in PVC pipes for the residential market, was not included in the transaction.
The realization of Omniplast follows OpenGate Capital’s announcement that NAKAN, another division within Ivy Group, had been sold to Westlake Chemical Corporation in January of 2019.
About OpenGate Capital
Founded in 2005, OpenGate Capital is a global private equity firm that strives to acquire and optimize lower middle market businesses throughout North American and Europe. With a strategic international presence and a focus on corporate carve-outs and complex situations, the firm’s expertise allows it to realize a seller’s divestiture objectives while mitigating the risks associated with a business’s transition to independence. OpenGate is headquartered in Los Angeles and Paris and has a seasoned in-house team of professionals overseeing the entire lifecycle of each investment. To learn more about OpenGate, please visit www.opengatecapital.com.
About Reedcapital
Reedcapital is a private investment firm focused on the acquisition, transformation and development of lower-middle-market businesses. The firm invests in both performing and underperforming companies to create long term sustainable value. Typical investment opportunities are corporate divestitures and carve-out, complex situations and underperforming businesses. Reedcapital and its partners have been involved in over 30 transactions ranging from corporate divestitures, turnaround acquisitions, industry consolidations and other special situations investments across a wide array of industries and geographical markets. More information available on www.reedcapital.fr.
About Luigi M. Chiaraviglio
Luigi has been a private equity investor for more than 15 years, with Compass Partners in London first and Investindustrial in Milan, Lugano and New York later and has completed over 10 transactions for a value in excess of Eur 2bn including buyouts or expansion capital deals, restructurings, refinancing and exits and has been on the board of several companies in Europe and the USA. He is the Managing Director of Vista Investors, an investment firm operating through a multi-family office model, focusing on repositioning and expanding lower mid-market businesses or corporate group divisions. For more information please visit www.vista-investors.com.
About Swiss Merchant Corporation SA
Swiss Merchant Corporation(“SMC”), founded in 1990, is a corporate finance advisory boutique based in Lugano, Switzerland. SMC specializes in offering tailor made services for its clients aimed at long-term value creation. SMC’s one-stop-shop approach is designed to fulfill clients’ needs. SMC started as a private equity firm, successfully managing four investment funds from 1989 until 2015. Whilst maintaining an active role in direct investments and club deals, SMC has leveraged its experience as an advisor to its portfolio companies to focus on helping clients make informed financial decisions. More information available on www.swissmerchantcorporation.ch.