Carlyle buys Italian manufacturer Ocmis Group

• Carlyle is partnering with historical shareholders including the Montorsi family and Ocmis’s management team
• Ocmis achieved a total turnover of €85 million with an operating margin above 20% in 2021
• Carlyle Europe Partners V fund made the purchase

Carlyle announced on Monday that it has bought a controlling stake in Italian manufacturer Ocmis Group.

The Castelvetro di Modena-based company manufactures advanced irrigation systems for the agricultural market. In 2021 it achieved a total turnover of €85 million with an operating margin above 20%.

The deal sees Washington-headquartered Carlyle partnering with historical shareholders including the Montorsi family and Ocmis’s management team. Ocmis employs over 200 people in Italy across three sites and has a presence in over 60 countries via a consolidated network of over 650 specialist dealers.

The purchase has been made via Carlyle Europe Partners V. The fund manages €6.4 billion and invests in European opportunities across industries and sectors.

“Ocmis has a unique position in a growing market with strong fundamentals and we believe that together we can deliver consistent growth,” said Filippo Penatti, managing director of the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team. “Its strong commitment to R&D, ongoing product innovation, excellent customer relationships, and an advanced digital offering are all key market differentiators, while its mission to conserve and protect water resources resonates with Carlyle’s commitment to sustainability.

“We look forward to working alongside Ocmis to accelerate this new chapter, strengthening its position in the fragmented global irrigation market by building upon its platform through both organic growth and acquisitions.”

Carlyle plans to perpetuate Ocmis’ growth by building out its commercial platform and marketing strategy while simultaneously supporting international expansion via M&A. The company’s manufacturing plants will also be upgraded and expanded.

“We believe Carlyle is the perfect partner given its global presence, deep understanding of our sector, its extensive experience in supporting growth companies such as ours on international expansion, and the values it shares with us on corporate responsibility and sustainability,” said Adriano Montorsi, founder of Ocmis. “We are excited by the prospect of working together to professionalise our approach in these areas, to further improve our operations and production footprint, and to unlock more growth through acquisitions.”