Doughty Hanson acquires interest in ATU Group

Investee Company – ATU Auto-Teile-Unger Group (Germany)

Investee Company Business – Car parts stockist

Type of Financing – LBO

Equity Providers – Doughty Hanson & Co

Equity Leader (Individual) – NK

Debt Providers – NA

Debt Type – NA

Debt Leader (Individual) – NA

Equity Amount – euro700 million (est)

Total Deal Value – euro700 million (est)

Other Advisors – NK

Comments – Weiden-based Auto-Teile-Unger Group (ATU), a car parts stockist, has sold a majority interest of the company to Doughty Hanson & Co for an undisclosed sum, reported to be in excess of euro700 million. The company intends to use the funding to take expand and prepare for IPO within five years.

Founded in 1985, ATU is Germany’s leading specialist non-affiliated car parts stockist with registered vehicle service centres. The company’s core business activity of ATU is the retail sale of car parts and accessories for all common car models and its immediate fitting in its workshops. ATU sells a range of approximately 45,000 products: in particular spare and replacement parts, tyres, wheel rims, batteries, oil, seat covers, and other accessories and leisure items such as bicycles and motor scooters. The group has more than 10,000 employees across its 396 branches. In 2001, ATU Group achieved a net turnover of some euro1 billion.