Webhelp is a market leader in outsourced call centres.

The group demonstrated strong growth and doubled its sales in 18 months with the opening of two additional sites in France and Morocco.

In June 2007, Astorg acquired a shareholding in Webhelp alongside management, and Equistone decided to keep a minority position in the new transaction. Webhelp has continued to enlarge its client portfolio and develop its high quality specialist brand image.

EXIT

Equistone sold its minority stake to Charterhouse.

Laho Equipement specialises in the short-term rental of a wide range of construction equipment in France.

The company is the second largest player in the professional building equipment rental market. At the end of 2006, it operated from 116 outlets in France.

Laho Equipement was a subsidiary of French retail group PPR when it was bought out by Bridgepoint in 1995. It underwent a secondary MBO with Industri Kapital in 2000.

EXIT

Equistone and the management team sold Laho Equipement to the European market leader, Loxam, achieving a consolidation of the French tool hire market.

European Cargo Services (ECS) is a broker representing airlines for the sale of air cargo capacity to freight forwarders. ECS also undertakes two complementary activities: handling (stock and preparation of goods before shipment) and chartering.

The group became a public company in December 1998 and was listed on the ‘Nouveau Marche’.

Qualis, owners of ECS since November 1999, decided to sell to Chequers Capital in October 2004. Chequers approached Equistone for a syndication of 19.6% of the shares.

VALUE CREATION

Supported by its financial shareholders, ECS has pursued its organic growth by expanding its network and strengthening its geographical coverage in Europe, Asia and in the US. The group completed an acquisition in 2006 in Africa, followed by two acquisitions/creations of offices in 2007. In July 2008, the group has made another acquisition in Scandinavia.

Today the group offers a global solution to its airline company customers as well as innovative solutions. ECS has been awarded with the “2011 General Sales Agent” award at the World Air Cargo Awards.

EXIT

Following two acquisitions in Italy in 2012 and favourable market trends, ECS reorganised its shareholding structure and continued with its growth strategy. Equistone sold its investment in ECS in March 2013.

Comptage Immobilier Services (CIS) is a leading French provider of utility allocation services to collective housing and private flats.
It installs and maintains meters, records individual tenants’ consumption and processes data in order to allow building managers to generate individual billings.

The business was acquired from Actaris Metering, a manufacturer of meters, which itself was bought-out of Schlumberger in 2001.

VALUE CREATION

From 2002 to 2004, CIS has over-performed on plan. At the end of 2003, following an unsolicited approach by a trade buyer, the management and Equistone decided to launch an exit process.

EXIT

After a strong competition, CIS was sold through a secondary MBO to Astorg Partners.