Through this transaction, Equistone will hold a majority stake in GSCM, alongside the management team and BNP Paribas Développement, who also reinvested in this funding round. Fuelled by strong organic growth and strengthened by three successful acquisitions between 2015 and 2019 (Decortes, Bodard and CNSE) supported by Orfite, GSCM continues to consolidate its position as an established player within the French modular construction market
Groupe GSCM’s development strategy will be focus on both temporary (i.e. building site facilities) and permanent segments by providing new applications to clients and strengthening current and new segments through acquisitions
Equistone Partners Europe is a leading mid-market European private equity firm, which operates across Benelux, France, Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Created in 1979 and formerly known as Barclays Private Equity, Equistone Partners Europe has become independent in 2011.
The private equity firm invests primarily in Western Europe with a core focus on change of ownership deals and aims to invest between €25m and €200m in businesses with enterprise values of between €50m and €500m .
Since 2002, Equistone has invested €8.5bn through 168 deals .
With founding company Solfab and empowered by three acquisitions between 2015 and 2019 (Bodard and CNSE), the Group is now the third manufacturer in modular construction in France and the leading French manufacturer of rolling shelters for building sites (c. 8,300 modules manufactured per year).
Groupe GSCM’s services include designing, manufacturing, selling, transporting and installing modular buildings of all sizes. Leveraging an extensive national footprint, GSCM prefabricates modules in five production sites across France – in Nantes, Les Sables-d'Olonne, Metz and Lyon (x2) – and transports them to on-site locations where they are assembled, where required, and installed.
Modular construction distinguishes itself from traditional construction via quicker and more reliable delivery, and limited construction costs without compromising on thermal and acoustic insulation or energy efficiency standards. With its use of low-carbon materials, GSCM’s buildings already meet the objectives of the new RE2020 standard, which aims to reduce the environmental impact of new buildings by taking into account all carbon emissions over the building's life cycle from the moment of its construction to its end of life.
The Group, which reported revenues of €67.7 million in 2020, currently employs over 300 people.
Should you want to know more about this transaction, you can contact one of the team members above
Bryan, Garnier & Co acted as Sole Financial Advisor to Orfite and BNP Paribas Développement on the sale of Groupe GSCM to Equistone Partners Europe
This transaction continues to demonstrate Bryan, Garnier & Co’s expertise and track record in supporting growth companies