Agro Service 2000 Avril 2014

Press Release
Paris, 24 April 2014
QUALIUM INVESTISSEMENT SELLS AGRO SERVICE 2000
TO NAXICAP PARTNERS
Qualium Investissement has sold its stake in Agro-Service 2000, a retailer of non-vehicular
agricultural equipment, to NAXICAP Partners and to its two owner-managers.
Founded in 1982, Agro-Service 2000 is the first retail chain for agro-equipment solutions, a unique
distribution concept, comprising 19 outlets offering a self-service shop with an open air equipment display
area.
With over 120 employees, the retail chain has a turnover of around €35 million and is present in 15
‘départements’ in central France, mainly in the Auvergne, Limousin and Burgundy regions.
Since it acquired Agro-Service 2000 in November 2006, Qualium Investissement has supported the
company in developing its network with a net store growth of eight and a gradual ramping-up of its offer.
Traditionally catering for farmers and livestock breeders, Agro-Service 2000 now addresses all the needs
of trade and retail clients with a full range of farm supplies and consumables (spare parts, tools,
miscellaneous equipment) and DIY equipment (electrical supplies, hand tools, etc.) as well as leading
brands for new and non-motorised farm equipment.
Jean Eichenlaub, Chairman of Qualium Investissement, said: “We are delighted to be transferring AgroService 2000 to NAXICAP Partners, one of the leading players in financing small and mid caps in France
and so ideally placed to support the company in a new growth plan over the medium term.”
“We were attracted by the quality of Agro-Service 2000's concept and its leading position,” explains
Thomas Barrochin, Investment Manager at NAXICAP Partners, “and we were interested in giving its
managers the means to implement their strategy, notably by integrating a capex line consistent with their
growth plan.”
“We wanted to find a partner who shared the same values and fundamentals as Agro-Service 2000,” says
Richard Palfray, “and who could support us in our ambitious growth project,” adds Franck Piot. The two
manager-shareholders intend to accelerate the pace of new openings over the next five years.
Contacts :
Qualium Investissement :
Stéphane Vermot-Desroches, Nicolas Mutschler
Advisors :
M&A : CM-CIC Corporate Advisory (François Messager, Christophe Kamel,
Sophie Sargentini)
Juridique: GGSM (Marc Baffreau, Guillaume Bain)
VDD financière : Grant Thornton (Thierry Dartus, Olivier Bochet, Elodie
Lonqueu)
Naxicap Partners :
Thomas Barrochin, Lucas Patricot
Advisors :
Juridique: Périclès Avocats (Frédéric Chaillet)
DD financière : Exelmans (Stéphane Dahan, Manuel Manas)
DD sociale : Orfis Baker Tilly (Vincent El Mahmoud)
DD juridique : Périclès Avocats (Frédéric Chaillet)
DD fiscale : CM-TAX (Jean-Marc Curvat)
Legal advisors to the managers:
CESIS Avocats (Dominique Rongen)
Senior debt :
CIC (Thomas Hartweg, Audrey Peyssonnerie),
Société Générale (Fernanda Verger, Philippe Gautier),
Banque Populaire Massif Central (Jean-Louis Premilhat)
Crédit Agricole Centre France (Xavier Cordez)
About NAXICAP Partners :
NAXICAP Partners is one of the leading private equity firms in France with €1.6 billion in assets under
management. As a responsible and committed financial partner, NAXICAP Partners builds solid and
constructive partnerships with the entrepreneurs it supports so that their projects can succeed.
A subsidiary of Natexis, the company’s 35 investment professionals are organized in three teams: Small
Caps, Mid Caps and Innovation & Growth, working from 5 regional offices: Paris, Lyons, Toulouse,
Strasbourg and Nantes.
For more information: www.naxicap.fr
About Qualium Investissement
Qualium Investissement is a subsidiary of the Caisse des Dépôts operating in the non-public sector
market. Authorised by the French Financial Markets Authority (AMF), it manages capital for third-party
investors in France and other countries.
Specialising mainly in majority control buyouts, it invests amounts of between €20 million and €75 million,
mainly in French small and medium sized companies valued from €40 million to €250 million, and may
share in control transactions of up to €500 million.
Founded in 1998, Qualium Investissement manages €1.2 billion in funds provided by its sponsor, the
Caisse des Dépôts, and over 40 third-party French and foreign subscribers. Since its creation, it has
invested in some 60 companies across a large spectrum of industries (manufacturing, agro-food, specialty
retailing, engineering, etc.).
It currently has investments in 12 unlisted French companies, including La Foir’Fouille, Ateliers Mériguet,
DGF, Quick, Kermel and Feu Vert.
For more information: www.qualium-investissement.com
Press contacts :
Naxicap Partners
Qualium Investissement
Valérie SAMMUT - Tél : 04 72 10 87 99
[email protected]
Communication – Shan
Mélina Etorre – Tél : 01 44 50 58 77
[email protected]