Dutch private equity firm Wadinko acquired the shares in Deventer-based bed manufacturer Koninklijke Auping from NPM Capital in early November 2017. NPM Capital had been a shareholder in Koninklijke Auping since 1986.
In partnering with Wadinko, Koninklijke Auping will be able to further increase its presence and expand its operations in growth markets in the Benelux region, Germany and Scandinavia.
Sustainable business and production
In the Netherlands, the name ‘Auping’ is virtually synonymous with a good night’s sleep – a credit to the high quality, supreme comfort and stunning, contemporary designs of Auping’s box springs, beds and mattresses.
The success of the company – which was issued a Dutch Royal Warrant of Appointment in 1988 – can be attributed to its more than 125 years of expertise, coupled with the latest advances in technology, ergonomics and design.
Koninklijke Auping has been the recipient of numerous awards and certificates over the decades for its quality, reliability and design. Besides its stated objective of ‘working on tomorrow’s ultimate sleeping comfort with passion and curiosity’, Auping also aims to be a leading presence in sustainable business and production. The company believes that an inspiring and stimulating work environment plays an important role in the organisation’s talent for innovation and is committed to building a sustainable relationship with the built and natural environments. The company has embraced the cradle-to-cradle principle with this objective in mind, which should allow it to transition to fully circular production processes by 2020.
NPM Capital’s Managing Director, Bart Coopmans, is happy with Wadinko as Auping’s new shareholder: ‘Our journey with Auping over these past decades has been very successful. The company has grown immensely and has an excellent market position: the Auping Plaza concept has been implemented internationally and the e-commerce platform provides customers with online options to meet their requirements as far as sleeping comfort is concerned. With Wadinko as its new shareholder, Auping is ready for the next stage in its growth trajectory.’
