Caledonia leads MBO

Caledonia Investments PLC 16 May 2006 Caledonia Investments plc Caledonia leads MBO of Tractebel Gas Engineering GmbH from Tractebel Engineering Caledonia Investments plc ('Caledonia') has committed to provide Euro 18m for the management buyout ('MBO') of Tractebel Gas Engineering GmbH ('TGE') from Tractebel Engineering, a member of the Suez Group. Caledonia owns 49.9%, and TGE's existing management 40%, of a new acquisition vehicle established for the MBO, with the remaining 10.1% held by Glenalta Capital LLP, a specialist private equity co-investment firm. The vehicle is initially buying 75% of TGE with an option to acquire the remaining 25% over the next two years. TGE is a specialist gas engineering business focused on turnkey design and build solutions for gas storage and transportation. TGE's particular strengths are its track record in LNG plants and carriers, and its expertise across cryogenic gas applications both on and offshore. The company operates globally and has offices in the UK, Germany, China, Taiwan and Brussels. TGE's client base includes major oil companies (BP, Conoco Philips, AGIP), large shipyards (Samsung, Daewoo, Jiangnan), and leading petrochemical groups (Formosa Plastics, BASF). In 2005 TGE had turnover of approximately Euro 190m and today has a forward order book in excess of Euro 300m. The TGE management team after the MBO is unchanged, led by Vladimir Puklavec, CEO, and divisional heads, Manfred Kuver and Herbert Zabel. Together they represent a proven team that has grown the company throughout 13 years of Suez' ownership. Will Wyatt and Roland Fisher from Caledonia will be joining the advisory board of the TGE Group. Commenting on the transaction Will Wyatt, a Director of Caledonia, said: 'TGE offered us a rare combination of committed management, an excellent track record, and a place within the fast growing LNG value chain. It has grown well under the Tractebel Engineering custodianship but, as Suez has recognised, needs independence to address the full market opportunity. I hope our long term support and financial strength will help establish TGE as the leading gas Engineering Procurement and Construction contractors.' Vladimir Puklavec, CEO of TGE, said: 'TGE with Tractebel Engineering built an EPC platform with geographic strength in Europe and China, and product strength in gas storage, gas carriers and LNG. Now with Caledonia we hope to develop this platform and capture the value that is coming from rapid growth across our markets and products. This is an exciting time for the whole team at TGE and I am delighted that in Caledonia we have a partner which shares our enthusiasm and ambition.' 16 May 2006 Advisors: Peak Associates advised TGE's management on the transaction ENQUIRIES: Caledonia Tel: +44 (0)20 7802 8080 William Wyatt Roland Fisher TGE Tel: +49 (0) 228 60448 100 Vladimir Puklavec Glenalta Capital Tel: +44 (0) 20 7559 6672 Kate Goodall Peak Associates Tel: +44 020 7468 7457 David Peak College Hill Tel: +44 (0)20 7457 2020 Tony Friend Roddy Watt For further information on TGE, please consult the company website www.tractebel.de. About Caledonia Caledonia is a long established investment company with international scope listed on the London Stock Exchange. Since April 2003 Caledonia has been classified in the Global Growth sector of investment trusts where its investment performance puts it in the top quartile over 1, 3, 5 and 10 years. Moreover, Caledonia's strategy has delivered outperformance against its benchmark FTSE All-Share Total Return index of 137% over the five year period to 30 April 2006 and 160.4% over the ten year period to 30 April 2006. Caledonia has a policy of delivering progressive annual dividends with a 38-year record of unbroken annual dividend increases. Through holding a diversified portfolio, Caledonia aims to maintain a medium overall risk position. At 30 April 2006, Caledonia had an unaudited Net Asset Value of 2069p per ordinary share. Caledonia's strategy is to focus on a portfolio of around 30 to 40 principal investments, where it has significant and influential stakes with a policy that at least 50% of the total portfolio should be in quoted securities or other liquid assets. New investments will typically be in the range £10 million to £25 million. Careful control is exercised over costs, notwithstanding Caledonia's active and participative management style. The Board believes that Caledonia has a long established and valuable reputation for being a supportive long term investor, which brings a strong deal flow of opportunities not always available to others. Caledonia's investments are focused on a selected range of sectors where it has good in-house knowledge that can add value to management of investee companies. Where particular expertise is not held in-house, investments may be made through third party managed funds where Caledonia will often seek a significant stake in the management company. Caledonia's selected sectors are: Financial: comprising 25% of net assets, including holdings in Close Brothers, Rathbone Brothers and Polar Capital; Leisure and Media: comprising 16% of the net assets, including holdings in Kerzner International and The Sloane Club; Managed General Funds: comprising 24% of the net assets including holdings in British Empire Securities and Cobepa; Industrial and Services: comprising 10% of the net assets, including investments in Offshore Logistics and Melrose Resources; Property: comprising 12% of the net assets, including a holding in Quintain Estates; net current assets 11%; and Other: comprising 2% of the net assets. The percentages of the net assets quoted are as at 30 April 2006. Further information on Caledonia can be found at www.caledonia.com. About Peak Associates Peak Associates is a corporate advisory firm specialising in M&A and corporate finance in the international energy sector. About Glenalta (www.Glenalta.com) Glenalta Capital LLP provides European private equity co-investment origination and execution services throughout Europe. The Glenalta team comprises the former senior investment professionals of GE Equity Europe who established and developed GE Equity's European private equity co-investment program between 1995 and 2002. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
UK 100

Latest directors dealings