PE Deals

Ambienta exits SF Filter Group via Equistone

Equistone’s primary focus will be on bolstering the company’s existing growth trajectory, including through a targeted buy-&-build strategy.

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  • SF Filter Group distributes mobile and industrial filters for after-market applications
  • Growing the domestic business will accelerate the company’s international expansion and help further develop the company’s e-commerce platform
  • Ambienta acquired a majority stake in SF Filter in January 2016

Ambienta has reached an agreement to sell its majority stake in SF Filter Group to Equistone. SF Filter is a supplier of mobile and industrial filters based in Bachenbulach, Switzerland. It operates sales and logistics centres in Germany, Austria, France and Poland, plus a number of export markets and supplies over 27,000 customers across Europe.

Ambienta acquired a majority stake in SF filter in January 2016 and transitioned the company from an owner-operated model into a management-run enterprise.

“SF Filter is a prime example of Ambienta’s investment philosophy,” said Stefano Bacci, partner of Ambienta. “An initial primary buyout of a business with a very strong environmental proposition, which is at the origin of growth and stability. Ambienta has transformed the business with relentless and in-depth action on organisation and operations, eventually delivering more growth and more profitability.”

SF Filter’s management will hold a stake in the company through an MBO as part of the deal. Equistone will focus on expanding the company’s existing growth and developing a targeted buy-&-build strategy. The growth of the domestic business will accelerate the company’s international expansion and help further develop the company’s e-commerce platform.

London-based Equistone operates across the Benelux, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. It looks for strong middle-market companies with growth potential. Its target enterprise value range is between €50 million and €500 million and it looks to invest equity of between €25 million and €200 million.

Ambienta is a private equity firm headquartered in Milan. The firm was founded in 2007 and manages over €3 billion in assets. The firm is focused on investing in private and public companies driven by environmental megatrends.