Heliad Equity Partners participates in Vanguard AG, Berlin


Heliad Equity Partners GmbH & Co. KGaA / Miscellaneous


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++ Heliad participates with EUR 8.1m in Vanguard AG, Berlin
++ Strongly growing and highly profitable company in the health care industry

Heliad Equity Partners has taken a holding in Vanguard AG, Berlin, through a shareholder buyout (buyout of non-operative existing shareholders). Vanguard (www.vanguard.de) is a constantly expanding company that is active throughout Europe, which has specialized on high-tech services in the health care sector and through technical innovations, especially at hospitals, thus contributing towards cost reductions through improved efficiency. Highly complex medical products for intervention treatment and key-hole surgery are skilfully and safely prepared at the Vanguard high tech centres.

Vanguard was founded in 1998 by the current management and has established itself as the unchallenged market leader through continuous organic growth as well as through strategic acquisitions. In the meantime, the company currently looks after more than 1,000 clinics, of which 680 are located in Germany. In recent years, the number of people employed by the company has increased to over 900 employees based in five European business locations (Germany, France, Switzerland, Great Britain and Poland) as well as in local clinics. Apart from developing existing customer contacts, the company is generating further growth primarily outside Germany, in particular in France, England and Belgium. In this regard, Vanguard can build on very stabile customer relationships: Since Vanguard is fully integrated in the hospital processes, contractual relationships are entered into for the long-term, which in turn enables a good planning base and solid growth.

Where Heliad is concerned, with an investment of EUR 8.1m, Vanguard is its largest holding to date. The transaction also clearly demonstrates the increased market relevance of Heliad, which has very successfully placed capital increases in the first six months of the year and also marks a further major step on the way towards becoming one of the leading investors for growing German companies.

Ralf Flore, a member of the board of management of Heliad, is pleased: “In a virtually exclusive negotiating situation, we were able to participate in one of the fastest growing and promising German companies, in particular due to our network and the advantages that Heliad offers as an investor to its portfolio companies. We are certain that our approach of investing in fast growing, established companies with a strong management, offers the best yield-risk ratio for our shareholders.”

About Heliad: 
Heliad Equity Partners GmbH & Co. KGaA (German sec. No.: 604 729) is a private equity firm concentrating on companies mainly in the German-speaking area. Investments are made in companies that are in a strong expansion period or a special situation. The aim is to produce a good over-average risk/return ratio for the shareholders. The investor thus intensively participates with Heliad in the expansion opportunities not only of the traditional German middle class but also of aspiring German technological companies.

Contact:
Heliad Equity Partners GmbH & Co. KGaA 
Christiane Neblung
Leiterin Marketing & Kommunikation
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Straße 31
60323 Frankfurt

Tel.: +49(0)69 719 15 965 17
Fax: +49(0)69 719 15 965 17
E-Mail: christiane.neblung@sigma-capital.de


DGAP 17.08.2006 

 
Language:     English
Issuer: Heliad Equity Partners GmbH & Co. KGaA               Freiherr-vom-Stein-Straße 31
              60323 Frankfurt am Main Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)69 719 15 965 0
Fax:          +49(0)69 719 15 965 11
E-mail:       christiane.neblung@sigma-capital.de
WWW:          www.heliad.de
ISIN:         DE0006047293
WKN:          604729
Indices:      
Listed: Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin-Bremen, München, Stuttgart  
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