You will find below the list of transactions in the PPE (& adjacent) space which we were able to identify since the beginning of 2024.
As you will see below, the number of PPE transactions remains significant, with numerous small sized deals as well as some decent sized transactions.
- January 2024: acquisition by VIKING LIFE-SAVING EQUIPMENT, Danish manufacturer of safety products for marine and offshore industries, of the rights of manufacture and supply of the “Undertun” maritime evacuation systems from the Norwegian company which owned them.
- January 2024: acquisition by SURVITEC, UK provider of survival technology solutions, of VINYL TECHNOLOGY LLC, a US manufacturer of textile and polymer film products for the aerospace, defense, industry and medical segments. VINYL TECHNOLOGY LLC owns an expertise in complex garment manufacturing and offers anti-G suits, fuel gladders, cargo bags and CBRN suits. It is said to generate approx. €40m sales.
- January 2024: acquisition by BUNZL of PAMARK, a Finnish distributor of cleaning & hygiene, healthcare, foodservice and safety products. The company generated €56m sales in 2023.
- February 2024: acquisition by SKYLOTEC, German manufacturer of safety at height products and solutions, of SWEDEN ENTRY TOOLS AB (known under the name SET Breaching), provider of mechanical breaching solutions for tactical access as well as training equipment. The company generated €3.1m sales in 2023.
- February 2024: acquisition by LAKELAND INDUSTRIES, US manufacturer of protective clothing, of JOLLY SCARPE S.p.A., Italian company, and JOLLY SCARPE Romania S.R.L., Romanian company, in a USD9.3m cash transaction. The JOLLY SCARPE group is a designer and manufacturer of professional footwear for the firefighting, military, police and rescue markets, headquartered in Italy with manufacturing operations in Romania. The group is said to generate approx. €17m sales.
- February 2024: acquisition by BUNZL of a 80% stake in NISBETS for £339m (cash). NISBETS is an omni-channel distributor of catering equipment and consumables across the UK, Ireland, Northern Europe and Australasia. NISBETS generated revenues of £498m in 2023. An additional earn-out could be paid depending on the financial performance of NISBETS in 2024. The transaction includes put / call options allowing BUNZL to acquire the remaining 20% capital in the future.
- March 2024: acquisition by PROTECTIVE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS INC (PIP), leading player in personal protective equipment, of SCOPE OPTICS Pty Ltd, Australian designer of premium protective eyewear. Acquired turnover was not disclosed.
- April 2024: acquisition by LAKELAND INDUSTRIES Inc. of the fire and rescue businesses of LHD Group Deutschland GmbH (LHD) and its Hong Kong and Australian subsidiaries in a cash transaction of USD16.7m. LHD is a German leader in equipment, accessories and services for firefighters and has a turnover of approximately USD27m.
- May 2024: acquisition by SICAME, leader in products and services related to transport and distribution of electrical energy, renewables, electromobility, safety equipment and industrial applications, of ELECTRICAL SAFETY UK, specialized in providing services like training, consultancy and electrical system studies for the professional management of electrical safety. Acquired turnover was not disclosed.
- May 2024: acquisition by CHARGEURS, French listed industrial group, of the strategic assets of the Swiss company CILANDER, consisting in technologies and manufacturing capabilities of high tech textiles for fashion, military applications and mobility. The acquired turnover is said to reach €20m.
- May 2024: acquisition by UNICA, provider of technical services in the Netherlands, of DRÄGER NEDERLAND BV's Dutch fire & gas business unit, specialist in fire and gas detection and fire extinguishing materials in the Netherlands. The turnover is said to reach €20m.
- May 2024: acquisition by KARAM SAFETY, leading Indian player in personal protective equipment, of MIDAS SAFETY INDIA, manufacturer of safety hand protection. The company generated approx. €13m sales in 2022.
- June 2024: acquisition by BUNZL of CLEAN SPOT, Canadian distributor of cleaning and hygiene products and equipment. The company generated approx. £4m sales in 2023.
- July 2024: acquisition by ANSELL, Australian leader in personal protective equipment, of KIMBERLY CLARK's Personal Protective Equipment business, including the Kimtech™ brand of scientific PPE for customers in laboratory and cleanroom environments, and the KleenGuard™ brand of safety PPE for customers in industrial environments. The acquisition price amounted to $640m.
- July 2024: acquisition by BUNZL of POWERVAC, distributor of commercial and industrial cleaning equipment inWestern Australia. The company generated sales of approx. £5m in 2023.
- July 2024: acquisition by SUREWERX, US and Canadian manufacturer of safety, tools and equipment products and solutions, of FALLSAFE, Portuguese distributor of personal protective equipment and manufacturer of fall protection products. The company generated sales of €3.1m in 2022.
- Août 2024: acquisition by a consortium led by Stefan Pierer of a majority stake in ROSENBAUER, Austrian company developing and manufacturing vehicles, fire extinguishing systems, equipment and digital solutions for professional, industrial, plant and volunteer fire services, and systems for preventive firefighting. The company generated close to €1.1bn sales in 2023.
- September 2024: announcement by LYRECO of its intention to acquire GROENENDIJK WORKWEAR, Dutch distributor of safety workwear and footwear in the Benelux. Acquired turnover is not disclosed, but could amount to €70m of sales.
