Founded in 2011, Biolectric is the market leader in the development, production and sale of compact biogas installations (<100kW) for livestock and pig farms and water treatment plants.
The technology developed by Biolectric enables its clients to generate renewable energy (electricity and heat) that can be used for self-consumption or sale on the grid, preventing the emission of harmful greenhouse gases.
The Company develops turnkey pocket mono-digesters, built within 1 to 3 days on-site, requiring very limited maintenance and operated remotely in a fully automated way.
Biolectric has sold over 200 units in 10 countries, including Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom, Italy, Sweden, the US and Canada.
The founders and historical shareholders retained Bryan, Garnier & Co to find the best strategic partner to support and accelerate its international roll-out
Biolectric is a Belgium-based company founded in 2011 by Philippe Jans, Jan Palmaers and Jonathan Schrauwen. The company headquartered in Temse (Belgium), is specialized in biogas installations for the agricultural industry. Biolectric has developed an innovative technology targeting the unaddressed small-scale biogas plant market, allowing on-farm production of renewable energy.
The company provides small-scale biogas plants (“Pocket mono-digesters”) ranging from 10kW to 75kW that allow small to medium-sized farms to produce electricity and heat through digestion of the manure stored on-farm.
Biolectric is active in +15 countries in Europe and North America through direct and indirect sales. So far, the company has sold over 200 units and has concluded a framework agreement with the Dutch Friesland Campina group which should enable it to further develop the Dutch market potential.
Ackermans & van Haaren, is a diversified group active in 4 core sectors: Marine Engineering & Contracting (DEME, one of the largest dredging companies in the world - CFE, a construction group with headquarters in Belgium), Private Banking (Delen Private Bank, one of the largest independent private asset managers in Belgium, and asset manager JM Finn in the UK - Bank J.Van Breda & C°, niche bank for entrepreneurs and liberal professions in Belgium), Real Estate & Senior Care (Leasinvest Real Estate, a public regulated real estate company - Extensa, an important land and real estate developer focused on Belgium and Luxembourg) and Energy & Resources (SIPEF, an agro-industrial group in tropical agriculture).
In 2017, through its share in its participations, the AvH group represented a turnover of 5.4 billion euros and employed 22,749 people. The group concentrates on a limited number of strategic participations with significant potential for growth. AvH is quoted on the BEL20 index, the Private Equity NXT index of Euronext Brussels and the European DJ Stoxx 600.
Bryan, Garnier & Co acted as Sole Financial Advisor to the shareholders of Biolectric in their search for a long-term partner.
In the framework of this transaction, Ackermans & van Haaren acquired a 60% stake in Biolectric alongside founder and CEO Philippe Jans.
The investment fund Taste Invest of the Westerlund family sold its participation in Biolectric.
This is yet another landmark transaction for Bryan, Garnier & Co’s Smart Energy practice, after a $50m private placement for Munich-based climate management company tado° and the sale of Antwerp-based demand-response software platform Restore to Centrica over the last few months.