Press

Medium-sized businesses are trimmed to make it through the crisis

(Berlinske January 2nd 2012)

"As we see the market for medium-sized businesses, a third of the businesses have not only managed to become more efficient, but also acted strategically and tackled the crisis in a proactive manner. Businesses have outsourced production and services further and have found new markets, " says Frederick Aakard

Danish businesses are dropping acquisitions in growth markets

(Børsen December 14th 2011)

Well aware that they should invest in the growth markets in Asia or South America, the Danish firms, nevertheless, are going for more defensive acquisitions at home- and in near markets.

"Previously the BRIK countries was where the strategically thinking companies wanted to be. But I think that, unfortunately, many Danish companies considering their size and the risk will now acquire nearby and accept the fact that they get limited growth, "says Frederik Aakard from Audon Partners.

A modern generational succession: sale of the business

(Jyllands-Posten October 20th 2011)

The old patriarch, who proudly passes his life's work on to the next generation, is becoming a rare sight. Young people want a different, freer, lifestyle than to follow in dad's footsteps. Often, there is no qualified successor in the family; the modern world often requires a different type of entrepreneur than father's desendants.

That is the reason why many great business adventures typically end in a sale, says Henrik Audon, the Director of Audon Partners, which constitutes the Danish part of one of the world's greatest alliances of consultants in the field of sale, purchase and merger of medium-sized enterprises, M&A International Inc.

Family-owned companies are increasingly selling their life’s work out of the family. This is often due to difficulties with managing generational succession. The Busck family has managed a successful succession. Helle Busck Fensvig now leads her great grandfather’s enterprise further - with a vigilant eye out for the planned tightening of tax rules for the transfer of businesses.

Audon Partners experience that it is becoming a rare sight, to see old patriarchs proudly giving their life's work on to the next generation. Young people are well educated and thus have more opportunities, just as it requires the (economic) muscles to commit themselves in the modern global world. Director Henrik Audon says: "in the past, it was almost exclusively age specific if a company was sold. It is still age that plays the biggest role - but the globalization, individualization and technological developments, have changed the conditions"

Become a big global player, or get acquired by another company. This may be the future of medium-sized consulting engineering companies experiencing tough times lacking economic prosperity. Consolidation in the industry seems to continue, and especially the medium-sized consulting engineering firms as Alectia, Nira and Orbicon can play a central role.

"M&A offers a rank of surprises, so it is difficult to speculate about the future. It is becoming more difficult for Alectia and similar businesses to expand rapidly internationally. In my view it would be a logical approach to take bids from potential buyers very seriousl" says Lars Gottlieb, director at Audon Partners, experts in advising on international Mergers & Acquisitions.

ERIKS acquired all shares of Dansk Ventil Center and DVC International, Vejle, Denmark per 31 May 2011. Dansk Ventil Center A/S and DVC International ApS are leading Danish industrial valve suppliers, offering a complete range of valves, level gauges and valve automation systems.

The Danstoker Goup consisting of the Danish company Danstoker A/S in Herning, Denmark and its German subsidiary Omnical Kessel- und Apparatebau GmbH in Dietzhölztal, Germany has been sold to the listed Indian energy group Thermax Ltd. in Pune in the Maharashtra
region in India.

Audon Partners advised the sellers of Danstoker A/S.

Chinese investors look to acquire businesses in Denmark
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark 22 January 2010)

Frederik Aakard of consultancy company Audon Partners says they have enquiries from investors in China as well as from India and the Middle East. "Typically these are conglomerates with a number of different business areas which would like to acquire Nordic know-how and technology."

Purus AB, the Swedish leading manufacturer of drainage, sanitary and plumbing products for wetrooms and bathromms, has acquired 100% of the shares in the Danish company Unidrain A/S.

Audon Partners advised the sellers of Unidrain A/S.

ILVA sold to IDdesign
(Press release 4 February 2009)

ILVA, Denmark's second largest retailer within furnitures, has been acquired by IDdesign. IDdesign is the owner and manager of IDEmøbler, which is the largest Danish retailer within furnitures.
- ILVA has about 360 employees and an annual turnover of DKK 700 million
- The transaction included all ILVA's stores and activities in Denmark and Sweden
- Audon Partners advised the private shareholders

AAC Capital Partners have along with Polaris Private Equity acquired BabySam, Denmark’s leading baby equipment retailer with the largest market share and a brand that is widely recognised as a retailer with a high quality product range.
- Babysam, is a chain of 31 independent stores in Denmark
- The buyers want to expand babysam by merging 12 existing legal
  entities tocreate the Nordic region’s leading integrated baby
  retail chain
- Audon Partners advised the buyer

Würth Group buys Arvid Nilsson
(Press release 11 January 2008)

Arvid Nilsson offers one of Scandinavia's widest and most competitive assortments of fasteners.
- Arvid Nilsson have companies in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and
  China, including a fasteners factory in Norway
- They provides know-how within fasteners, logistics and efficient
  e-businesssolutions
- Audon Partners advised the seller

Skandinavisk Industriservice A/S has been acquired by Voith
(Press release 26 November 2007)

SIS employs approximately 160 employees, and provides service within the petrochemical industry and power stations.
- SIS's main markets are Scandinavia and the United Kingdom
- The company uses the most advanced manual as well as semi-
  automatic welding processes
- Audon Partners advised the vendor

- The Icelandic equivalent to TDC, Siminn, is now challenging the  
  Danish communications market through the acquisition of
  BusinessPhone
- Siminn vil be able to offer all the same communication products as 
  TDC and can attack TDC's B2B sales directly
- Audon Partners Corporate Finance advised the seller in this 
  transaction