Lincoln International Advises Sagard Private Equity and Cognetas for the Acquisition of Saint-Gobain Desjonquères for 690m
PARIS, April 5, 2007 Lincoln International, a leading mid-market investment bank, today announced Sagard and Cognetas, leading private equity firms operating on the French mid-cap market, have purchased a majority stake in Saint-Gobain Desjonquères (SGD or the Company). SGD, headquartered at Paris La Défense, France is the world's leading manufacturer of glass packaging for the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. Lincoln International advised Sagard and Cognetas in the 690 million transaction.
This was a landmark deal for our Packaging group, not only in terms of a substantial transaction value, but in terms of complexity, said Jean-Rene Hartpence, Managing Director of Lincoln International. Our team's experience and familiarity with the packaging industry contributed to overcome these complexities while comforting our clients on the attractive prospects of the Company.
As part of the deal, Saint-Gobain will retain a minority interest in the Company and will be represented on the board of directors. The management team, led by François Dujardin, will continue to hold a stake in the Company.
With a team of 6,000 employees worldwide, SGD is the world's leading manufacturer of glass packaging, specializing in glass bottles and flasks with high-market shares in all business lines, particularly selective perfume flasks and pharmaceutical bottles. It has 11 manufacturing sites and 20 furnaces with plants in Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, and the United States, and has long-standing relationships with leading customers including LVMH, Procter & Gamble, LOréal, Sanofi-Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. In 2006, the Company generated sales of approximately 600m.
We are delighted to have gained a unique asset in the glass packaging industry; one which is a clear market leader and is well positioned to leverage its footprint and expertise to expand into developing markets, said Edward Koopman, Partner at Cognetas. We look forward to working together with management and employees to help the company deliver on its strategy and achieve great success in the coming years.
About Lincoln International
Lincoln International specializes in merger and acquisition advisory services and private capital raising for leading organizations involved in mid-market transactions. With offices in Chicago, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris, and strategic partnerships with China Everbright and other partner firms in Asia, Lincoln International has strong local knowledge and contacts in the key global economies. The organization provides clients with senior-level attention, in-depth industry expertise, and integrated resources. By being focused and independent, Lincoln International serves its clients without conflicts of interest. More information about Lincoln International can be obtained at www.lincolninternational.com.
