Waterland Private Equity freut sich, die offizielle Eröffnung der neuen Niederlassung in Dublin bekannt zu geben. Dabei handelt es sich um Waterlands neunte Niederlassung. Die Eröffnung findet statt nach dem kürzlich erfolgten Abschluss der ersten irischen Plattforminvestition von Waterland: Silver Stream Healthcare Group, ein Anbieter von Seniorenheimen, der 357 Heimbewohner in sieben Pflegeheimen im Großraum Dublin betreut. Die erste Silver-Stream-Investition wurde vom Waterland-Team in Manchester geleitet.

Einige der Portfoliounternehmen von Waterland, wie Sarens, Aminolabs, Otravo und Cawood Scientific, sind bereits seit geraumer Zeit in Irland aktiv oder haben in den letzten fünf Jahren sogar Direktinvestitionen im irischen Markt getätigt. Dazu gehören beispielsweise die größte Textilrecyclinggruppe Irlands, Cookstown Textile Recycling (Textile Recycling International, UK), im Jahr 2018, eine in Dublin ansässige Digitalagentur, Webfactory (Dept, Netherlands ), im Jahr 2017 und der größte unabhängige Distributor von technischen Dämmstoffen in Irland, T.I.D.L. (Ipcom NV, Belgium), im Jahr 2016.

Mit der irischen Niederlassung ist Waterland nun in acht europäischen Ländern vertreten. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass Waterland seine geografische Reichweite weiter ausbaut, bleiben lokale Teams ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der Strategie von Waterland. Paul Higgins, ein gebürtiger Dubliner und derzeit Investment Associate im Manchester-Team wird 2020 nach Dublin umziehen.

Nachfolgend finden Sie einen kürzlichen Artikel zur Eröffnung in der Irish Business Post:

Waterland, the €6 billion portfolio Dutch private equity house, is opening a Dublin office as it seeks to deepen its investment here #

Waterland, the €6 billion portfolio Dutch private equity house, is opening a Dublin office as it seeks to deepen its investment here.

The company is targeting Irish firms looking towards Europe for growth to hedge against Brexit, and is also planning to help its Irish nursing home investment, Meath operator Silver Stream, ramp up its growth plans.

“The size and the way that the Irish economy is developing very much merits a Waterland team here,” said managing partner Hans Scheepers.

“The decision is partly influenced by the timing of Brexit. Of course, the UK is the largest trading partner for Ireland, but looking from a currency perspective, it makes sense for businesses here to be looking at Europe and to have local teams there to work alongside the entrepreneur with that international expansion strategy. It’s something that has resonated quite well so far.

“We’re looking at opportunities to double Silver Stream in size in the hopefully not too distant future, not only in an acquisitive way but also through expanding the current homes with potentially new builds as well.”

The 360-bed group is run by corporate financier Kevin Beary, who has been involved in a number of care home ventures in recent years.
Waterland has also invested in Dublin-based digital agency Webfactory and Antrim business Textile Recycling International.

It is seeking to hire a lead for the Dublin office and two more executives, and Paul Higgins, who was formerly based at its Manchester office, will relocate here.

Waterland takes controlling stakes in profitable businesses with earnings between €5 million and €20 million before interest and tax. Some 85 per cent of its investments are done off-market.

“We find those companies ourselves outside of a broader auction process,” Scheepers said. “I would consider that our sweet spot is where we can really help these companies accelerate and become bigger businesses.”

Waterland’s average investment holding period is six years, but can be beyond ten.

Ireland is attractive to it partly due to the SME structure here, which has similarities to the Dutch and Belgian markets in the number and profile of its family businesses, Scheepers said.

Waterland is interested in businesses connected with trends in ageing populations, outsourcing and efficiency, sustainability, and the leisure industry, he said.

Active for 20 years, it has invested in more than 500 companies in 80 sectors to date. It has offices in Belgium, the Netherlands, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Poland.