APEM is one of the global leading manufacturers of switches, keyboards, joysticks or LED indicators.

APEM products have various applications in the transport, defence, industrial automation, instrumentation, medical, telecommunication and aerospace industries.

The company has activities in France, UK, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, in the US, in China, and Tunisia and generated 67% of its sales outside of France

VALUE CREATION

Equistone worked alongside the management team to develop the business with initiatives such as:

• Backing and funding the acquisition of CH Products in 2008, strengthening the existing industrial and commercial footprint of the group in the US and balancing the activity between Europe, the US and Asia;
• Adding new competencies to support APEM in its growth strategy, which focused on the acquisition of key accounts over the world and as a consequence the progressive consolidation of the group’s many subsidiaries in order to facilitate the provision to its large global accounts of a consistent quality of service;
• Supporting an ambitious improvement program regarding the global logistics and industrial organisation.

EXIT

Equistone sold APEM to its management, backed by Intermediate Capital Group, which has been a minority shareholder in APEM since 2006 and the group’s lead mezzanine provider in the previous management buyout.