Case studies

Barloworld Scientific Laboratory Group

Transaction:Portfolio acquisition from a listed corporate
Vendor: Barloworld Ltd
Portfolio:Barloworld Scientific Laboratory Group: Encompassing 6 businesses
Geography:UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, US and China
Sector: Engineering & Manufacturing / Services & Distribution
Deal size:£75 million
Date:November 2007

Nova's £75 million acquisition of the Barloworld Scientific Laboratory Group followed a strategic review by global operator Barloworld Ltd of its structure and direction resulting in the decision to dispose of its non-core assets. Their decision to sell to Nova was driven by Nova's ability to: acquire the Group in its entirety, at a favourable price, within the desired timeframe - and provide a strong partner for the businesses going forward.

Springboard plc

Transaction: Public to Private
Vendor: Shareholders of AIM listed Springboard plc
Portfolio: 12 UK businesses from a broad range of sectors
Date: May 2006

The Nova led Public to Private acquisition of Springboard plc, an AIM listed investment vehicle with a portfolio of 12 companies, gave shareholders an instant return on their investment and a premium of 27.4% to the closing share price. It also provided the underlying businesses with the opportunity to continue their growth strategies with a new investment partner.