MAWEEKLY · 27 de enero de 2025

Week 4 (2025) in M&A and Private Equity 🛰️🇪🇸

Weekly collection of transactions (January 20 - 26)

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• Investindustrial has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Grupo Alacant, a prominent independent ice cream manufacturer based in Alicante, Spain. Founded in 1972, Grupo Alacant specializes in private label ice cream for modern retail clients and co-manufacturing for major brands. The company operates four manufacturing plants across Spain (Alicante, Murcia, and Madrid), employs approximately 850 people, and reported revenues of €225 million in 2024.1

• SAMY Alliance has acquired US-based Content Lab, the digital advocacy marketing agency specialized in emerging platforms and certified global ecosystem partner of TikTok. With Content Lab joining the fold, SAMY Alliance continues its streak of high-impact acquisitions in 2024, following Helsinki-based Kurio and Bogotá-based MDS. This latest acquisition amplifies SAMY’s mission to make brands matter by creating relevance in a social-first world. Today, three-quarters of SAMY Alliance’s revenue comes from international markets. The addition of Content Lab helps SAMY surpass the 100M euro/year revenue mark for the first time.2

• Havas acquired CA Sports, a Spanish company specializing in sponsorship strategies and business development through sport. Founded by Cinto Ajram in Barcelona in 2017, CA Sports’ capabilities include the management of strategic sports sponsorship agreements and brand consulting, as well as the activation and production of events and campaigns. Its portfolio of clients boasts leading brands such as Hyundai, Grupo Bimbo, Cupra, Coca-Cola, Konami and Rilastil, among others. CA sports also enjoys strong working relationships with sports organizations such as FC Barcelona, Betis, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Liverpool, The America’s Cup, Euroleague and Spain’s major Marathons. 3

• ETSA Group (Semapa) has acquired 100% of Grupo Barna from Corpfin Capital and minority shareholders. This acquisition enables both groups to expand their business areas in alignment with sustainability and circular economy principles. Grupo Barna operates in the circular economy sector within the food industry, producing proteins and oils by collecting and processing marine products primarily for animal feed. With over 120 employees and two factories in Mundaka, Basque Country, and near Tarifa, Andalusia, Grupo Barna processes more than 50,000 tons of fish by-products annually4

• Avvale has expanded its presence in the Spanish market by acquiring Performance Management Partners (PMP), a Spanish company specializing in intelligent information management solutions. Founded in 2007 and entirely Spanish-owned, PMP excels in optimizing business processes, including financial and regulatory reporting, planning, and management control. The integration enhances Avvale’s capabilities in Enterprise Performance Management, focusing on planning and analysis, IFRS and ESG reporting, and internal control. 5

Our report on the technology consulting industry in Spain is available for download in both Spanish and English.

• Duferco Iberia, formed by Italy-based Duferco Energia’s acquisition of Catalan company Intraenergia, aims to bolster its position as a key energy trader in Europe by launching operations in Spain and Portugal. Focusing on the commercialization of electricity and gas with an emphasis on renewable energy, Duferco Iberia targets a sales volume of €15 million in its first year. Combining Intraenergia’s technical expertise with Duferco Energia’s extensive experience in the European trading market, the new entity specializes in sourcing, trading, and optimizing renewable energy from hydro, wind, and solar sources. 6

• French infrastructure giant Vinci has sold its Spanish water subsidiary Hidrogestión to Portuguese water management company Indaqua. This acquisition strengthens Indaqua’s footprint in the Iberian Peninsula and enhances its presence in Spain’s water services sector. Hidrogestión specializes in water supply and wastewater treatment. 7

• Brazil’s Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN), through its subsidiary CSN Steel SL based in Bilbao, Spain, has entered into an agreement to acquire Iberian steel profile producer GramPerfil, as announced by the Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC). This strategic acquisition will expand CSN’s production, sales, and processing capabilities in steel profiles and accessories for the civil construction and energy sectors. Additionally, the move strengthens CSN’s presence in international markets, particularly in France, North Africa, and Portuguese-speaking African countries, enhancing its global footprint and competitiveness in key regions. 8

• Valencia-based renewable energy distributor Bet Solar has strengthened its global presence by acquiring Chilean company Bulk Energy, a key player in the renewable energy sector in Latin America. This acquisition allows Bet Solar to expand its operations in South America, particularly in the fast-growing solar energy market, leveraging Bulk Energy’s local expertise and established network.9

• Ufinet has acquired Gold Data Panamá, enhancing its fiber optic and wireless infrastructure in Panama and Latin America. Gold Data’s strategic underground fiber network in Panama City, Colón, and Panama Oeste bolsters UFINET’s coverage, providing robust protection to major international traffic hubs. Its wireless solutions extend connectivity to remote areas, complementing UFINET’s network of over 15,000 km of fiber optics. Javier Lacasa, UFINET’s Executive President, emphasized the move solidifies their position as a leading telecommunications provider in Latin America. 10

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I am a Partner at Albia IMAP. IMAP is an International Mergers and Acquisitions Partnership with a 50-year track record, more than 500 M&A professionals worldwide and a presence in 50 countries. IMAP has closed over 2,200 transactions valcued at $130bn in the last 10 years and is consistently ranked in the world’s Top 10 M&A advisors (Refinitiv) for mid-market transactions.