IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is pleased to announce that the IK Small Cap II Fund has reached an agreement to acquire Carspect AB, SIA Scantest, Autotest Polska Sp. Z.o.o and A-Ülevaatus OÜ (“the Group”), from A-Katsastus Group Oy, a leading provider of vehicle inspection services in Northern Europe.
With a network of 375 employees and 106 stations, the Group is a leading provider of vehicle inspection services in Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Poland.
Its service offering includes Periodic Technical Inspections (PTI), registration inspections, voluntary checks and related services for passenger cars, light trucks, buses and lorries.
“We are delighted to announce the sale of our non-Finnish activities. A-Katsastus Group, a Bridgepoint portfolio company, was the first company to introduce a customer-oriented service concept in the Swedish vehicle inspection market. We see exciting opportunities in our core Finnish market and developing our presence in both Finnish inspection and damage repair,” said Kari Kivikoski, CEO of A-Katsastus Group.
“IK shares our commitment to providing our customers with the best possible service. Their support allows us to better serve our existing customers while also enhancing our ability to increase the availability of our services geographically,” said Lars Selenius, CEO of Carspect.
“The market for vehicle inspection services is expected to continue to develop over the coming years. The Group has a superior concept with central locations, clean facilities, mobile-friendly websites and strong focus on customer service. By leveraging its strong brands, we believe that we can further strengthen the Group’s position in its chosen markets,” said Kristian Carlsson Kemppinen, Partner at IK Investment Partners.
Financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed.
For further questions, please contact:
A-Katsastus Group
Kari Kivikoski, CEO
Phone: +358 500 434 912
IK Investment Partners
Kristian Carlsson Kemppinen, Partner
Phone: +46 8 678 9500
Mikaela Hedborg,
Director Communications & ESG
Phone: +44 77 87 573 566
mikaela.hedborg@ikinvest.com
About A-Katsastus Group
A-Katsastus Group is the leading vehicle inspection company in Northern Europe with 273 stations in Finland, Sweden, Poland, Estonia and Latvia. Its main activity is the provision of compulsory vehicle inspections and certifications for all light and heavy motor vehicles over three years of age. It is also licensed to offer statutory drivers’ examinations and is the market leader in vehicle registrations as well as providing related services such as vehicle insurance. For more information, visit www.a-katsastus.com
About IK Investment Partners
IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan-European private equity firm focused on investments in the Nordics, DACH region, France, and Benelux. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €9.5 billion of capital and invested in over 115 European companies. IK funds support companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. For more information, visit www.ikinvest.com
