News and Insight
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In recent years, the Aspire Education Group has developed into a leading platform for professional qualification and training in German-speaking countries. The group’s growth has been accelerated by expanding digital learning tools, innovative formats such as Hire-Train-Deploy and six strategic acquisitions since 2018 and with the support of the QC-Sustain team a more sustainable value was created. Quadriga Capital is pleased to announce the sale to EMZ Partners and would like to thank the entire Aspire team for their excellent work. We wish them every success in consistently pursuing the growth path they have embarked on in the coming years.
With the acquisition of three modern residential parks of the Convivo Group in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, newcare is expanding its existing range of services in the areas of stationary care, residential care, day care and rehab with the segments of residential homes and ambulatory care. newcare now offers private living with the security of an ambulatory care service and a permanent range of services for every care level. The acquisition into the entire nursing care supply chain is an important and forward-looking step in the specialisation and diversification of the range of services.
The international automation platform, SCIO Automation, has acquired MRB Automation. Based in Ilmenau, Germany, MRB Automation offers automation solutions and specialized high-precision systems for customers from industrial and MedTech end markets. The eighth acquisition demonstrates that SCIO Group is actively strengthening its service portfolio in discrete production automation, thereby successfully following its platform strategy.
With the acquisition of the Spanish laboratory group Laboratorio Químico Microbiológico S.L. (LQM), GBA Group is expanding its European laboratory network in the food sector. The range of services includes microbiological, environmental and classical chemical analysis methods across all food product groups. The entry into one of Europe's most important food markets underscores GBA Group's commitment to supporting local and international customers with expertise and a high level of service directly in key source and sales markets.
Quadriga Capital funds support the growth of UNITED THERAPY - a new leading provider in the German physiotherapy which is formed of NOVOTERGUM GmbH and Deutscher Arzt AG. UNITED THERAPY aims to combine analogue physiotherapy with digital telemedicine services. The goal is an innovative ecosystem for interconnected and holistic care solutions. To this end, Quadriga Capital is contributing in-depth knowledge of the transformation of healthcare companies. This also builds on the eight fast-growing platforms with Quadriga Capital participation, which in turn have made more than 80 add-on acquisitions.
wecare, a medium-sized operator of nursing and elderly care facilities, continues its expansion course and takes over four inpatient care facilities of the Vehreschild Group based in North Rhine-Westphalia. The facilities comprise a total of 271 beds. The wecare group thus currently operates 26 facilities with more than 2,500 beds.
International automation group SCIO Automation is continuing to expand its international presence by acquiring Modumaq Soluciones Tecnológicas S.L which is the next step in the globalization strategy. The acquisition of the company, SCIO’s ninth to date, is expected to be completed in early December 2021. Modumaq, which is based in Toledo, Spain, specializes in automated intralogistics solutions for clients in Europe and South America.
Quadriga Capital has published its ESG report for 2020/21. The report discloses how the Quadriga Capital funds' investee companies have improved in the areas of environmental, social and governance (ESG) over the past year, both at company level and at portfolio level. Despite the many challenges of the past year, Quadriga Capital was again able to improve the performance of its portfolio across all ESG criteria, resulting in its best year ever in terms of ESG performance and rating. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the intensification of ESG activities enabled every single investee company to improve its overall rating, some of them significantly. Aspire Education scored best and became portfolio ESG Champion 2020/21.
With the acquisition of GAMA Altenhilfe, wecare Group expands its range of services including another four nursing homes in the Hesse region with over 400 care places, 25 assisted living units and 360 employees. Thus, CEO Markus Mitzenheim consistently continues the expansion strategy of the Group: "We want to develop the wecare Group into a leading nationwide service provider through targeted acquisitions and new buildings." Together with GAMA Altenhilfe, the wecare Group now comprises 20 facilities all across Germany.
In February 2021, Quadriga Capital became the first German private equity company to sign the Operating Principles for Impact Management (Impact Principles) of the International Finance Committee (IFC). The Impact Principles are the first framework for impact integration for asset managers. By joining this growing network of impact practitioners and adhering to the Impact Principles, Quadriga Capital signals its binding commitment to creating positive social and environmental impact. As signatory to the Impact Principles, Quadriga Capital has designed its investment process to incorporate impact considerations throughout the process to complement the existing integration of ESG factors. Over the course of the year, Quadriga Capital will publish a disclosure statement on compliance with the Impact Principles.
Under the ownership of the Quadriga Capital Funds, GBA Group transformed into an institutionalised platform with strong organic growth and completion of 20 synergetic add-on acquisitions. Quadriga Capital is now pleased to announce the divestment of the GBA Group to a new consortium of Ardian, the management team and the Quadriga Capital Funds. We thank the GBA team for the great and hard work over the last years. The strong team effort has been fundamental to significantly improve the competitive positioning and to increase the growth dynamics of the company. Together with Ardian as a new partner and the management team we are excited to embark on a new phase of accelerated growth.
With a new brand presence, the wecare Group presents itself as an innovative player in the German care market. The claim "wecare – re-thinking nursing care" sums up the new operator's aspiration: "The wecare brand is intended to stand for a modern, fresh concept in the care operator market. We want to explicitly emphasise: we don't just care, we take care," says Markus Mitzenheim, CEO and COO of the wecare Group.
With the acquisition of JARS SA (JARS), the GBA Group continues its internationalisation course and expands its network towards Eastern Europe. JARS has a nationwide presence in Poland with over 250 employees and 8 locations and has developed into one of Poland's leading laboratory analysis providers in the food, environmental and cosmetics sectors. The integration of JARS in the GBA Group network is an important milestone on its way to becoming one of the leading companies in the field of Testing/Inspection/Certification (TIC) in Europe.
GEOTAIX Umwelttechnologie GmbH (GEOTAIX) becomes part of the GBA Group's environmental analysis network. The additional presence in the industry-focused region of North Rhine-Westphalia represents a further step in positioning the GBA Group as a comprehensive analysis and service provider in the environmental sector. GEOTAIX Umwelttechnologie GmbH, based in Würselen, offers analysis of groundwater, drinking water, leachate, surface water and wastewater as well as soils, asbestos, residues, waste, various oils and air samples. The associated sampling and expert reports complete the service portfolio.
With MFI, a specialist for automation solutions for the food industry, the SCIO Automation Group expands its intralogistics solution portfolio. In addition, MFI contributes its specialized warehouse management software into SCIO Automation Group. Headquartered in Benningen/Neckar, MFI serves its customers across its six facilities with more than 100 people. "MFI’s automation solutions expand SCIO’s current offering, enabling us to immediately engage in joint projects for our combined customer base. MFI contributes with specialized know-how and innovative strength in programming and manufacturing," outlines Michael Goepfarth, CEO of the SCIO Automation Group.
With the acquisition of Bilfinger GreyLogix Aqua GmbH the SCIO Automation Group expands its portfolio with new competences in the conception, planning and operation of waste water and drinking water treatment plants. The brand name changes thereby into VESCON Aqua GmbH. The company was founded in 1998 by Olaf Kremsier and offers specialised automation and programming services from seven locations. With the takeover SCIO can further diversify its sectoral positioning.
With the new acquisition of Mojin Robotics, SCIO Automation broadens its product offering in the field of automated material handling and storage systems for industrial and clean room environments. Customers with high demands in intralogistics can now find autonomous solutions from one source. "We are pleased that Mojin Robotics is now part of the SCIO Group", says Michael Goepfarth, CEO of SCIO Automation, after the acquisition. Schiller Automatisierungstechnik GmbH, as a manufacturer of autonomous vehicles, can now benefit from internal solutions for complex robotics from Mojin.
With the integration of Industrial Automation LLC, the SCIO Automation Group has established a foothold in North America just one and a half years after the foundation of the group. The main competence of Industrial Automation lies in automation solutions tailored to each customer's needs. "This is a milestone in the internationalisation strategy we have been pursuing from the very beginning," said Michael Goepfarth, CEO of SCIO. The SCIO Automation Group is now represented in North America, Asia and Europe. Industrial Automation enriches SCIO's portfolio with a variety of automation solutions of smaller robot cells up to complete production lines.
The wecare Group, a new operator platform in the attractive German care market, continues its growth path: As part of a corporate succession, the share purchase agreement for Haus Thiele GmbH, Radevormwald, was signed today. Haus Thiele is a long-established care facility (80 beds) with an excellent reputation. It will form a strong local partnership with the wecare facility "Seniorenhaus Radevormwald" in the future. The wecare group currently has 14 facilities.
Parallel to the acquisition of the facility, the property was sold to a real estate partner of the wecare Group.
wecare Group, the new operator platform in the attractive German care market continues its growth strategy: the initially acquired six facilities of the Medical Senioren-Park Group and the simultaneously acquired six facilities of the Convivo Group are now joined by the Seniorenresidenz Eidelstedt in Hamburg. The very attractive and well managed facility (78 places) was taken over from private owners. The wecare group now operates 13 facilities. The wecare Group was initiated with the support of the Quadriga Capital Funds in February 2020.
Quadriga Capital has published its ESG report for the year 2019/20. The report highlights how the Quadriga Capital funds' investee companies have performed in the areas of environmental, social and governance (ESG) over the past year - both at a company and portfolio level. Despite the unexpected challenges imposed by the COVID 19 pandemic, Quadriga Capital once again increased its portfolio's results across all ESG criteria, resulting in its best year ever in terms of ESG performance. By applying specific ESG measures, the investee companies were able to significantly increase their ESG scores for the most part.
The Quadriga Capital funds publish their results of the annual ESG assessment of the United Nations Principles of Responsible Investing (PRI) initiative. Quadriga Capital have been awarded another A+/A+ rating for the fourth consecutive year. The Quadriga Capital funds were able to achieve this outstanding rating due to their substantial efforts in promoting ESG over the years. The Quadriga Capital funds have been signatories to the UN PRI initiative since 2012 and have consistently achieved above-average results since then and, consequently, verifying its status as a responsible investor.. They are part of a global community working to build a more sustainable financial system.
GBA Group is strengthening its expertise in food analysis by acquiring Technische Lebensmittel- und Umweltanalytik GmbH (TeLA). The specialist laboratory offers chemical analyses in the fields of fish, fruit and vegetable, tea and spices, food supplements and dairy products. The acquisition broadens GBA's analytical portfolio and expands its regional presence in north-west Germany.
GBA Group is strengthening its European network in the food sector. With the acquisition of Lavetan NV, the leading food laboratory in Belgium, the group is continuing its effort to provide customers with expertise and high service levels across borders. The location of Lavetan's Turnhout site near the transhipment ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam provides GBA with access to the strategically important markets in Belgium and the Netherlands.
With the support of the Quadriga Capital funds, the Medical Senioren-Park Group has found a successful succession solution for its six inpatient locations. In addition, six nursing care facilities from the Convivo Group have been taken over. The company’s founders Rita and Tadeusz Cymerman will remain closely associated with the company and will focus on real estate development.