Business services
€1.5bn
France FR

Scope of intervention

Sycomore Corporate Finance acted as financial advisor to Kiloutou and its management

Date of closing

February 2018

HLDI and HLD Europe entered into exclusive negotiations with investment companies PAI Partners and Sagard to acquire a majority stake in Kiloutou, one of the European leaders in industrial and construction equipment rental.

Under PAI and Sagard’s ownership, Kiloutou doubled in size pursuing significant gains in market shares and diversifying its products lines. Today, Kiloutou is a European leader with a presence in five countries.

Rationale

  • Accelerate Kiloutou’s growth in Europe
  • Strenghten its leadership position on the French market
  • Broaden Kiloutou’s service offering

Kiloutou at a glance

Founded by Franky Mulliez in 1980, Kiloutou is the second largest player in the industrial and construction equipment rental market in France and the fourth largest in Europe. Kiloutou offers its customers the widest range of equipment on the market with more than 1,000 references in various fields: personnel elevation equipment, earthmoving and construction equipment, personnel elevation equipment, earthmoving and construction equipment, structural work and finishing, commercial vehicles and events. With an expected turnover of more than €600 million for 2017 and a workforce of 4,300 in Europe, Kiloutou continues its development and is now a network of nearly 500 agencies. In France, the network of 420 branches guarantees unparalleled proximity to all customers, including specialized hardware stores and inner-city retail outlets. The network also has 32 branches in Poland, 14 in Spain, 10 in Italy and 3 in Germany.

HLD Europe at a glance

HLD Europe is an investment group created by Jean-Philippe Hecketsweiler, Jean-Bernard Lafonta and Philippe Donnet. HLD has world-class entrepreneurs as leading shareholders, notably Claude Bébéar (Founder of AXA Insurance Company), Norbert Dentressangle (Founder of the eponymous group), Jean-Charles Decaux (co-CEO and representative of the founding family of the street furniture group JCDecaux) or Christian Gueugnier and Didier Le Menestrel (founders of La Financière de l’Echiquier). HLD Europe owns Tessi, Filorga, Sarenza, Coyote, Elivie, Le Couvent des Minimes, M-cube and has participations in SVR, Tranoï, Funbridge, Alchimie or Gekko (company being sold to AccorHotels).

HLDI at a glance

Founded in 2016, HLDI is a holding company with industrial interests controlled by Dentressangle Initiatives, the investment holding company of the Dentressangle family, and supported by HLD teams. HLDI intends to invest in control, alongside HLD Europe. HLDI currently holds Tessi with HLD Europe.