Crescent European Specialty Lending Announces Financing for Equistone’s Acquisition of BUKO Infrasupport and BUKO Waakt
LONDON & LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Crescent Capital Group LP, a leading alternative credit investment firm, announced today that its European Specialty Lending strategy has provided financing to support Equistone Partners Europe’s (“Equistone”) acquisition of a majority stake in BUKO Infrasupport and BUKO Waakt (“BUKO”), leading providers of outsourced traffic and safety management solutions in the Netherlands. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
BUKO Infrasupport specializes in offering end-to-end outsourced temporary traffic management solutions primarily serving contractors and public authorities active in utility-related and urban/rural roadworks. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of services – from design, planning, approval, deployment and collection, as well as onsite management of road signage and safety equipment required for roadworks. BUKO Waakt provides temporary remote security solutions with a focus on camera surveillance, intrusion detection systems and access control systems, which are used principally on construction sites of residential and public buildings. Combined, the two business units have delivered several thousand projects each year and established long-standing and trusted relationships with its customer base. With a current employee count of more than 350 people and an annual turnover of c. €70 million, BUKO has grown to become one of the largest providers of tailor-made traffic and safety solutions in the Netherlands.
“With this financing from Crescent, the partnership between Equistone and BUKO will be able to further support the company’s growth and geographic footprint as it capitalizes on strong market dynamics driven by investments in digital and energy transition-related infrastructure and road maintenance,” said Christine Vanden Beukel, Managing Director and head of Crescent’s European Specialty Lending strategy. “Crescent is pleased to be able to provide the flexible capital solutions needed by leading European private equity sponsors like Equistone and high-growth, proven companies like BUKO.”
About Crescent Capital Group
Crescent Capital Group is headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Boston, Chicago, London, and New York. With more than 100 investment professionals and over 200 employees, the firm invests at all levels of the capital structure, with a significant focus on below investment grade credit through strategies that invest in senior bank loans, unitranche loans, high yield debt, mezzanine debt, and other private debt securities. As of December 31, 2022, Crescent Capital Group managed over $40 billion of privately-originated debt investments as well as marketable securities. For more information about Crescent Capital Group, please visit www.crescentcap.com.
About BUKO
Founded in 1962 in the Netherlands, BUKO employs more than 350 staff and generates an annual turnover of around EUR 70m. BUKO Infrasupport provides end-to-end outsourced temporary traffic management solutions, with services such as onsite management of road signage and safety equipment required for roadworks, serving mainly contractors and public authorities. BUKO Waakt rents security equipment such as camera surveillance, intrusion detection systems, and access control systems, primarily for use in construction sites of residential and public buildings. Further information can be found at: https://www.bukoinfrasupport.nl/ and https://www.bukowaakt.nl/.
About Equistone Partners Europe
Equistone is an independent investment firm wholly owned and managed by its executives. The company is one of Europe’s leading investors in mid-market buyouts with a strong, consistent track record spanning over 40 years, with more than 400 transactions completed in this period. Equistone has a strong focus on change of ownership deals and aims to invest between €25 million and €200 million + of equity in various businesses. The company has a team of over 40 investment professionals operating across France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK, investing as a strategic partner alongside management teams. Equistone is currently investing its sixth buyout fund, which held a final closing at its €2.8 billion hard cap in March 2018, and has recently launched the Equistone Reinvestment Fund, with a mandate to make minority re-investments alongside new sponsors following a portfolio company exit from one of its main buyout funds. Equistone is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Further information can be found at www.equistonepe.com.
Contacts
Crescent Capital Group
Mendel Communications
Sarah Troutt
sarah@mendelcommunications.com
