Building materials suppliers in $110m deal

European building materials supplier for lighting, ventilation and smoke and heat extraction products Taros Capital have today announced the completion of the sale of Essmann Group to Quadriga Capital in a transaction valued at €110m.

Essmann, based in Germany, with an additional production facility near Lyon in France, is one of the leading building materials suppliers for lighting and ventilation products in flat roofs and facades as well as for smoke and heat extraction products for preventive fire protection.

The four main business segments of Essmann Group are lighting, ventilation, security, drive systems and industrial electronics.

In 2006, the Essmann Group achieved a turnover of approx. €130m. During the expansion in

recent years, total staff increased to 780.

Taros Capital acquired Essmann in 2000 and has since then successfully developed the

business. As part of the growth strategy, Taros successfully achieved the generational change

of the top management and the re-positioning of the company in Germany.

Managing Partner of Taros Capitas, Christian Bächle said: "We are very satisfied with the achievements of Essmann over the years and are convinced that the company is best positioned to exploit its future growth potentials."

Quadriga Capital specialises in management buy-outs and growth financing of medium-sized

companies in the German-speaking region, the neighbouring countries and Russia.