Stock exchange release - 21 October 2004
CapMan funds sell Eltel Networks to Industri Kapital
Approx. EUR 7 million carried interests to CapMan
Funds managed/advised by CapMan will exit from Eltel Networks Group (Eltel), which is specialised in design, construction and maintenance of electrical and telecommunications networks. Eltel’s turnover is more than EUR 300 million. CapMan funds and the management of Eltel will sell their ownership in Eltel to a company ultimately controlled by the Industri Kapital 2000 Fund. Industri Kapital intends to combine Eltel with its portfolio company Swedia Networks AB (Swedia), thereby creating a clear market leader in its sector in Northern Europe. CapMan funds’ shareholding in Eltel is 83% and the management’s 17%. The transaction value is approx. EUR 190 million. This exit will have a favourable impact of approx. EUR 7 million on CapMan’s 2004 result as a result of the carried interest income from the funds under its management.
According to the contract signed by all parties the transaction is expected to close in the middle of November 2004. The closing requires the approval of competition authorities. As a result of the exit two Fenno Program funds, which are co-managed/advised by CapMan and Fenno Management Oy, will start to generate carried interest. The carried interests generated by Fenno Program will affect CapMan’s result for 2004 by approx. EUR 7 million. Finnventure V and Finnmezzanine III funds managed/advised by CapMan will also exit from the company, and the exit will transfer them significantly closer to the stage where they start to generate carried interest.
“Eltel has exceeded our expectations during these three years under CapMan’s ownership. It has implemented its growth strategy successfully and is now one of the largest and most promising companies in its sector in Northern Europe. Eltel’s current success is mainly attributable to the company’s excellent operative management and professional staff,” says CapMan’s Senior Advisor Orvo Siimestö. “We are pleased that Eltel has an opportunity to further develop and expand its business with its new owners,” Siimestö continues.
Industri Kapital, a European private equity firm, intends to combine Eltel with its portfolio company Swedia. Swedia builds, supervises and maintains all types of telecommunication and data communication networks. It has a strong position in Sweden. As a result of the transaction, the new combined entity becomes a clear market leader in its sector in Northern Europe. Industri Kapital today controls a majority of Swedia through a holding company, Telefos.
“Under CapMan’s ownership Eltel has become a strong and profitable expert organization. Now we look forward to the benefits that Industri Kapital’s ownership and merger with Swedia will bring to us,” says Tuomo Rönkkö, CEO, Eltel Networks Corporation.
“We have invested in a company that is not only growing steadily, but is an expert and a pioneer in the industry. We will give our full support to the company’s strategic goals,” states Michael Rosenlew, Partner, Industri Kapital.
CapMan funds and the two Fenno program funds invested in Eltel Networks Corporation in June 2001, when the capital stock of IVO Transmission Engineering Oy, owned by Fortum Plc, was transferred to the new company founded by the management of Eltel and the funds. The business has operated as Eltel Networks. The company has performed strongly and the investment has been very profitable for CapMan funds as the value of their initial investment in Eltel has ten-folded in the past three years.
Press conference
A press conference for analysts and media will be held today, 21 October 2004 at 10.30 a.m. in CapMan headquarters in Korkeavuorenkatu 32, Helsinki. Mr Tuomo Rönkkö from Eltel Networks, Mr Orvo Siimestö and Mr Tuomo Raasio from CapMan and Mr Michael Rosenlew from Industri Kapital will be present at the conference. Material distributed at the conference will be made available at the same time on the Internet at www.capman.com.
For further information, please contact
Orvo Siimestö, Senior Advisor, CapMan, tel: +358 9 6155 8328 or +358 40 562 0317
Tuomo Rönkkö, CEO, Eltel Networks Corporation, tel: +358 40 311 3001
Michael Rosenlew, Partner, Industri Kapital, tel. +46 8 678 95 25 or +46 70 378 95 25
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