Deals

ABN Amro Capital and Carlson Restaurants Worldwide have partnered to acquire 45 T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants in the UK from Whitbread PLC. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which will result in ABN Amro holding a 60% stake and Carlson holding the remaining 40 percent.

Akzo Nobel NV reportedly has received three bids for its pharmaceutical unit Organon BioSciences. Each is in the range of €8 billion to €10 billion. One consortium includes Blackstone Group, Bain Capital, Alpinvest Partners NV, Apax Partners and Texas Pacific Group. The second includes KKR and Warburg Pincus, while members of the third are The Carlyle Group, Advent International and BC Partners.

American Capital Strategies has acquired a 6.8% equity interest in Explorer Pipeline Co. from Citgo Petroleum Corp. Explorer Pipeline owns and operates the second-largest refined liquid petroleum products pipeline in the United States. Other American Capital Strategies deals recently are a $411 million one-stop-buyout of WIS International, a San Diego–based provider of outsourced inventory management services; and a $41 million one stop buyout of Pacific Handy Cutter Inc., a Costa Mesa, Calif.–based maker of branded razor cutting tools.

Appleseed’s Topco Inc., a portfolio company of Golden Gate Capital, has agreed to acquire Blair Corp. (AMEX: BL) for $42.50 per share in cash. The total transaction is valued at approximately $173.6 million. Blair Corp. is a Warren, Pa.-based catalog and multi-channel direct marketer of women’s and men’s apparel and home products.

Aramark Corp. has been taken private via a $8.3 billion buyout led by CEO Joseph Neubauer, and including private equity firms GS Capital Partners, CCMP Capital Advisors, JPMorgan Partners, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Warburg Pincus. The deal provided Aramark shareholders with $33.80 per share.

Arlington Capital Partners has agreed to sponsor a management buyout of Cambridge Major Laboratories Inc., a Germantown, Wis.-based chemistry outsourcing partner to pharmaceutical and biotech companies. No financial terms have been disclosed. CML president and CEO Michael Major told peHUB.com recently that current management will remain in place, and that the deal was done in order to help the company grow. Arlington did not return request for comment.

Ariston Global, a Rochester, N.Y.-based acquisition platform of Spire Capital Partners, has acquired The Strata Group, a St. Louis-based provider of software applications for Web-based self-care to both service providers and their customers. No financial terms were disclosed.

Audax Group has acquired Silent Preferred Partners LLC, a Salem, Va.-based assembler of axles, chassis, and diesel engines for Class 8 truck manufacturers. No financial terms were disclosed, except that NewStar Financial provided $17 million worth of senior secured credit facilities.

Bay to Bay Capital Partners has acquired the assets of L&S Supplies Inc., a Hudson, Fla.-based regional supplier of pre-hung doors and millwork products. No financial terms were disclosed. The sellers were company founders John Schroder and Mike Mahoney, who will remain in charge of day-to-day operations at L&S.

Behrman Capital has acquired Peacock Engineering Co., a Geneva, Ill.-based provider of outsourced food packaging services to consumer products companies. The deal is valued at $172.5 million. Giuliani Capital Advisors advised Peacock on the deal, while leverage was provided by Bank of Ireland, Madison Capital Funding and Citigroup Mezzanine Partners.

The Blackstone Group has raised its offer for Equity Office Properties Trust from $48.50 per share to $54 per share, bringing the overall transaction value to $38.3 billion (including $16 million in assumed debt). The move comes one week after Blackstone was topped by a $52 per share bid from Vornado Realty Trust, Starwood Capital and Walton Street Capital. Even at Blackstone’s original bid price, the deal would be the largest leveraged buyout in history.

The Blackstone Group has agreed to acquire an undisclosed stake in Indian media company Ushodaya Enterprises Ltd., in exchange for a $275 million equity infusion. The deal also includes $190 million in bank financing, and is subject to regulatory approval. Kotak Investment Banking advised Ushodaya Enterprises on the deal. Ushodaya Enterprises owns India’s third-largest newspaper and fourth-largest private television broadcasting network.

Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) has agreed to sell its pharmaceutical technologies and services (PTS) business to The Blackstone Group for approximately $3.3 billion. PTS develops, manufactures and packages medication and other products for pharma and biotech firms, and employs approximately 10,000 people at more than 30 global facilities. It generates approximately $1.8 billion in annual revenue.

The Carlyle Group bid approximately $4.7 billion for Tribune Corp.’s broadcasting and entertainment unit, according to The New York Post. Tribune also received bids for the entire company from the Chandler family and a refinancing offer from Eli Broad and Ron Burkle.

The Carlyle Group has once again increased its bid for Dallas-based roofing and building products company ElkCorp (NYSE: ELK), due to competition from Building Materials Corporation of America. The latest Carlyle offer is $42 per share, which matches the latest bid from BMCA. Carlyle originally bid $38 per share, and later increased it to $40.50 per share.

The Carlyle Group and Providence Equity Partners have completed their $38 per share acquisition of Open Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq: OPEN), a Glastonbury, Conn.–based provider of enabling technologies for financial institutions, for $38 per share. The total deal is valued at over $1.3 billion, including the assumption of debt.

The Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire organic residuals recycler Synagro Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: SYGR) for $5.76 per share. The total deal is valued at $772 million, including the assumption of $310 million in debt. Lehman Brothers managed the auction.

Centre Partners Management LLC and affiliate Centre Southwest Partners LLC have formed Nexus Gas Partners LLC, a Dallas-based midstream service provider of natural gas gathering, transportation, processing and related pipeline services to natural gas producers in East Texas and Northwest Louisiana. No financial terms were disclosed. In related news, Nexus announced that it has acquired Dominion Midstream Services, which was previously a privately held company of the Dallas-based Dominion Gas Group. The acquired assets consist of the Logansport gathering and dehydration system, which currently gathers approximately 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Joaquin Field in Shelby County and Panola County, Texas and the Logansport, Grand Cane, Spider and Benson Fields in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana.

Cornell Corrections Inc. (NYSE: CRN) shareholders have rejected an $18.25 per share buyout offer from Veritas Capital, which would have valued the Houston, Texas-based prison operator at around $518.6 million (including $273.6 million of assumed debt).

Countrywide PLC shareholders have rejected a £971 million management buyout offer sponsored by 3i Group. Countrywide is a U.K. property and financial services company.

CVC Capital Partners and KKR have agreed to buy Dutch waste management company Van Gansewinkel. No financial terms were disclosed. The firms plan to merge Van Ganswwinkel with joint portfolio company AVR, which they acquired last year.

Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE:CY) has agreed to sell its Silicon Valley Technology Center business to Oak Hill Capital Partners and Tallwood Venture Capital for approximately $53 million in cash. The transaction is expected to close by early March. SVTC gives startups and established companies the opportunity to develop and characterize novel silicon-based technologies cost-effectively using a shared R&D environment.

Eddie Bauer Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: EBHI) has postponed a special shareholder meeting that had been scheduled two weeks ago, due to the identification of errors related to its tax accounting for 2005 and prior years. The meeting has now been pushed back to Feb. 8, at which point shareholders will be asked to vote on a $9.25 per share buyout offer from Sun Capital Partners and Golden Gate Capital. The total deal is valued at approximately $614 million, including around $328 million of debt to be repaid.

ECI Partners has sponsored a £56 million management buy-in of Aerial Facilities Ltd., a UK-based provider of products and solutions which extend the coverage of wireless networks. The new management team is led by CEO Ian Brown, who previously served as CEO of Redstone PLC.

Educate Inc. (Nasdaq: EEEE), a Baltimore–based provider of supplemental education products and services to the pre-K-12 market, has agreed to be acquired for $8 per share by Sterling Capital Partners, Citigroup Private Equity and members of company management. The total deal is valued at approximately $535 million, including assumed debt. Selling shareholders will include Apollo Management, which holds a majority stake in Educate via its position in Sylvan Learning.

Enterprise PLC (LSE: ETR), a UK-based provider of maintenance and support services to utilities, reportedly has rejected a £462 million buyout offer led by 3i Group. Discussions are said to be continuing.

Fidelity Investments plans to oppose Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners‘ planned $19 billion buyout of radio broadcaster Clear Channel Communications. Fidelity is Clear Channel’s largest shareholder, with an 11% stake.

Formation Capital

and JER Partners have agreed to acquire Genesis HealthCare Corp. (Nasdaq: GHCI) for $63 per share. The total deal is valued at $1.7 billion, including the assumption of around $450 million in debt. GHC is a Kennett Square, Pa.-based long-term care provider with over 200 skilled nursing centers and assisted living residences in 13 eastern states.

Francisco Partners has offered to buy Australia-based enterprise asset management software provider Mincom Ltd. for Au$315 million. Current Mincom shareholders include Colonial First State and Caterpillar.

Gazette Communications has agreed to sell a controlling interest in Decisionmark Corp. to a consortium that includes Turnstone Capital, CBC New Media and an undisclosed “multi-billion dollar institutional investor.” No financial terms were disclosed. Decisionmark is a provider of online software and information to the broadcast industry, and will be renamed TitanTV Media.

GF Capital has acquired Trade Service Company LLC, a San Diego–based database provider of product and pricing solutions to subscribers in the electrical, plumbing/HVAC, automotive and office product markets. The deal was financed via a $55 million one-stop financing package from Golub Capital.

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are part of a consortium that may bid $15 billion for the oil and gas assets of utility Dominion Resources Inc. (NYSE: D), according to The Wall Street Journal. The group also includes Carlyle/Riverstone, First Reserve, Madison Dearborn Partners and Warburg Pincus. A competing consortium includes Blackstone Group, KKR and Texas Pacific Group.

Gryphon Investors has agreed to acquire G.I. Joe’s Inc., a Wilsonville, Ore.–based sporting goods and outdoor retailer in the Pacific Northwest. No financial terms were disclosed.

Halder, a mid-market affiliate of GIMV, has agreed to sponsor a management buyout of BMC Group, a Dutch provider of professional services for the public sector (government and non-profit organizations). Halder will hold a 30% stake, with management holding the remainder. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which is expected to close by mid-March.

H.I.G. Capital has completed its acquisition of PetroCom LLC, a New Orleans-based cellular carrier in the Gulf of Mexico and a full-service telecom solutions provider for the offshore industry. No financial terms were disclosed. H.I.G. has subsequently merged PetroCom with Sola Communications, which it acquired last year.

Interpool Inc. (NYSE: IPX) has received a $24-per-share buyout offer from company CEO and chairman Martin Tuchman, who is being supported by other significant Interpool stockholders and Fortis Merchant Banking. Interpool is a Princeton, N.J.-based supplier of equipment and services to the transportation industry.

John Maneely Co., a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, has agreed to acquire Sharon Tube Co., a Sharon, Pa.-based manufacturer of welded steel pipe, mechanical tubing, seamless pressure pipe, and value-added products for a broad range of commercial and industrial applications. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which will close later this quarter.

Key Principal Partners is sponsoring a management buyout of Imperial Bag & Paper Co. LLC, a Bayonne, N.J.-based distributor of consumable paper and plastic packaging sold primarily to the restaurant and retail industries in the greater New York City area. KPP has committed $12 million in equity and subordinated notes.

KPS Capital Partners has acquired PaperPak Products Inc., a Greenville, N.C.-based manufacturer and distributor of adult incontinence products, from Attends Healthcare Investments Ltd. No financial terms were disclosed.

Laureate Education Inc. (Nasdaq: LAUR), a Baltimore-based provider of on-campus and online higher education, has agreed to be acquired for $3.8 billion by a consortium that includes Laureate chairman and CHO Douglas Becker, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., Citigroup Private Equity, S.A.C. Capital Management, SPG Partners, Bregal Investments, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, Sterling Capital, Makena Capital, Torreal SA and Southern Cross Capital. Laureate shareholders would receive $60.50 per share, and the agreement includes a 45 day go-shop provision.

Leonard Green & Partners

has sponsored a recapitalization of The Brickman Group, a Gaithersburg, Md.-based provider of commercial landscape maintenance services. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which represents an exit for CIVC Partners.

Levine Leichtman Capital Partners has acquired Wetzel’s Pretzels LLC, a Pasadena, Calif.-based franchisor of soft pretzels and pretzel-based snacks category. No financial terms were disclosed. BB&T Capital Markets advised Wetzel’s on the deal.

Metalmark Capital has agreed to acquire the North American packaging operations of SCA (Nasdaq: SVCBY) for $400 million. The group has annual sales of approximately $430 million, and focuses on protective packaging, consumer packaging and temperature-assurance packaging solutions.

Newbridge Capital has agreed to acquire a control stake in Taiwan-based Union Insurance Co. from Rebar Asia Pacific Group, according to Reuters. The deal is valued at $100 million.

The New York Times is unlikely to sell The Boston Globe, Times CEO Janet Robinson said in a speech to Boston-area businesspeople.

Pacific Equity Partners and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity have offered to acquire Veda Advantage Ltd. (f.k.a. Baycorp Advantage), a listed credit-checking giant in Australia and New Zealand. The offer is Au$3.61 per share, which would value Veda at approximately Au$823 million.

Residential Credit Solutions Inc. has been formed as a Fort Worth, Texas-based residential mortgage investment and servicing company focused on credit-sensitive and servicing-intensive mortgage assets. It is backed by a $125 million capital commitment led by Equifin Capital Partners. Och-Ziff Capital Management also participated.

The Riverside Company has acquired Anitox Corp., a Lawrenceville, Ga.–based manufacturer and marketer of mold and bacterial inhibitors for animal feed and feed ingredients. The deal comes out of Riverside’s micro-cap fund, which is focused on companies with $3 million or less in EBITDA.

Riverside Partners has teamed with company management to acquire J-Pac LLC, a Somersworth, N.H.-based contract manufacturer and equipment maker for medical device and biopharmaceutical OEMs. No financial terms were disclosed.

Select Medical Corp., a Mechanicsburgh, Pa.-based portfolio company of Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe and Thoma Cressey Equity Partners, has agreed to acquire HealthSouth Corp.’s Outpatient Rehabilitation division for approximately $245 million in cash. The division includes approximately 600 facilities in 35 states that provide rehab for general orthopedic and sports injuries.

Silver Point Capital has agreed to acquire Sage Telecom Inc., an Allen, Texas–based CLEC focused on residential and small business customers in suburban and rural communities. No financial terms were disclosed.

Spell Capital Partners has acquired Rotonics Manufacturing Inc. (AMEX: RMI), a Gardena, Calif.-based rotational molding company, for $3 per share. The total deal is valued at approximately $31 million, including $21 million in leverage arranged by Wells Fargo.

Sun Capital Partners has acquired certain assets of Elliston, Va.-based Rowe Furniture Inc., a bankrupt manufacturer of custom upholstered furniture. No financial terms were disclosed.

Sun Capital Partners has acquired L. Powell Co., a Culver City, Calif.-based maker of home accent furniture. No financial terms were disclosed.

Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) has received a $700 million PIPE infusion from KKR Private Equity Investors, the Amsterdam-listed fund of Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co. The deal includes $350 million of convertible senior notes due in 2012 and $350 million of convertible senior notes due in 2014. KKR also will receive a seat on the Sun board of directors.

TDC AS has agreed to sell Baltic mobile operator Bite Lietuva to Mid Europa Partners for approximately €450 million.

TestAmerica, a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, has completed its acquisition of Severn Trent Laboratories Inc., an environmental testing firm with 32 laboratories throughout the United States, from Severn Trent PLC. No financial terms were disclosed.

Texas Pacific Group confirmed that it is among the several bidders for Italian airline Alitalia SpA. The ultimate sale price could top $2 billion.

TimePlus Payroll, an Atlanta–based provider of payroll, tax and benefit services, has acquired American Business Payroll of West Columbia, S.C. No financial terms were disclosed. TimePlus Payroll shareholders include Chicago Growth Partners and Goldman Sachs.

Time Warner agreed to sell 18 titles to Sweden-based Bonnier Publications for less than $300 million. Other bidders are reported to have included Quadrangle Group, Boston Ventures, Intermedia Advisors and Active Media/Windpoint Partners. The titles include Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Snowboarding and TransWorld.

Tinicum Capital Partners has agreed to acquire substantially all the assets of bankrupt gift and decorative accessories company Enesco Group.

Triad Isotopes Inc., an Orlando, Fla.-based provider of radiopharmaceuticals that are used for both diagnostic imaging procedures and disease treatment, has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Parthenon Capital. It used the infusion to acquire three nuclear pharmacy operators: Diversified Pharmacy Group, Cox Nuclear Pharmacies and Coastal Nuclear Pharmacies. No financial terms were disclosed for the acquisitions, after which the founders of each of the merged companies will continue as senior members of Triad’s management team.

Truffle Venture of Paris has sponsored a leveraged buyout of MoMac, a Dutch provider of mobile platforms for media companies. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which results in MoMac management retaining a minority ownership position.

UnumProvident Corp. (NYSE: UNM) has agreed to sell subsidiary GENEX Services Inc. to a fund managed by Stone Point Capital. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which is expected to close by June. GENEX is a Wayne, Pa.-based provider of workers’ compensation and medical cost containment services. It was acquired by UnumProvident in 1997.

Warburg Pincus reportedly has agreed to acquire a 25% position in Shanghai ZK Real Estate for an undisclosed amount.

Wellspring Capital Management has sponsored an equity recapitalization of ChemAid Laboratories Inc., a Saddle Brook, N.J.–based contract manufacturer of specialty hair care, skin care and bath and body treatment products. No financial terms were disclosed.

Wind Point Partners has acquired Santa Maria Foods, a Toronto-based manufacturer, marketer and distributor of Italian-style deli meats, primarily under the San Daniele and Mastro brands. No financial terms were disclosed. In related news, former Dare Foods president Fred Jaques has been named CEO of Santa Maria Foods.

Xchanging, a London–based BPO company backed by General Atlantic, has completed its acquisition of BAE Systems’ 50% stake in jointly-owned company Xchanging HR Services. No financial terms were disclosed.

The Yankee Candle Company Inc. (NYSE: YCC) shareholders have approved a $34.75-per-share buyout offer from Madison Dearborn Partners. The total deal is valued at around $1.7 billion, including $300 million in assumed debt. It is expected to close next month.