Sponsor-to-Sponsor

3i Group has agreed to acquire substantially all of Dutch careers classified and B2B magazine group VNU Business Media Europe from VNU, which is controlled by a private equity consortium that includes AlpInvest Partners, Blackstone Group, Carlyle Group, Hellman & Friedman, KKR and Thomas H. Lee Partners. No financial terms were disclosed

3i Group has acquired European chemical distributor Azelis Group from Cognetas (f.k.a. Electra Partners Europe) for €315 million. Azelis was formed in 2001 via the merger of Novocherm (Italy) and Arnaud (France).

3i Group has sold U.K. media monitoring agency Precise Media Group to Phoenix Equity Partners and company management for £42 million. 3i’s proceeds are £24 million, which represents a 3.2x multiple from its original investment, which came in March 2005.

The Carlyle/Riverstone Renewable Energy Infrastructure Fund has sold part of its equity interest in Green Earth Fuels LLC, a Houston–based biodiesel company, to Goldman Sachs. No financial terms were disclosed. CRREIF remains the company’s majority shareholder.

Fidelity Ventures has acquired eCredit Inc., a Dedham, Mass.-based provider of online solutions for commercial credit and collections professionals. No financial terms were disclosed, except that Fidelity also provided $11 million in growth capital and installed venture partner Jim Swift as CEO. eCredit shareholders included North Hill Ventures, Apex Venture Partners, Internet Capital Group and Sterling Venture Partners.

Investcorp has agreed to acquire Armacell International GmbH from Gilde Buyout Fund and CVC Capital Partners. No financial terms were disclosed for the deal, which is expected to close sometime in January. Armacell is a Minster, Germany-based provider of flexible technical insulation.

Olympus Partners has agreed to buy WII Components Inc. from Behrman Capital for an enterprise value of $295.5 million. WII Components is a St. Cloud, Minn.-based outsourced manufacturer of hardwood and engineered wood doors and components to the North American kitchen and bath cabinet market. Behrman acquired a majority stake in April 2003.

Sagard and Ergon have co-sponsored a €430 million management buyout of Aliplast Group from Cognetas (f.k.a. Electra Partners Europe). Aliplast is a Lokeren, Belgium-based supplier of aluminium profile systems, and was acquired by Cognetas in early 2004. It has over 1,000 employees and generated 2005 revenue of around €180 million with 20% growth anticipated for 2006.

Segulah has acquired Isaberg Rapid, a Swedish maker of staples and staplers, from Industrivarden. No financial terms were disclosed, except that Isaberg Rapid had 2005 revenue of around $131 million and EBITDA of $8.5 million.