Sponsor to Sponsor

Allied Capital has sponsored a management-led recap of BenefitMall Inc., a Dallas–based insurance agent focused on the small-group employee benefits market. Allied committed $175.6 million to the deal in the form of senior unitranche debt, non-voting common equity and additional committed capital. BenefitMall had raised $76 million in VC funding since its 1999 spinout from Humana Inc.

American Capital Strategies has completed a “one-stop” buyout of Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC, a Waunakee, Wis.–based manufacturer and supplier of biologic active pharmaceutical ingredients, from Arsenal Capital Partners.

Code Hennessy & Simmons has acquired St. Louis-based packaging company Kranson Industries Inc. from AEA Investors, according to reports. This will be Code Hennessy’s second time with Kranson, after having sold it to AEA for $350 million in 2004 (Code Hennessy’s original purchase price was $200 million). No financial terms of the latest deal were disclosed.

Falconhead Capital has acquired Growing Family Inc., a St. Charles, Mo.–based provider of in-hospital infant photography services, from Sentinel Capital Partners and Nautic Partners. No financial terms were disclosed. Goldsmith Agio Helms advised Growing Family on the sale.

Genstar Capital has acquired OnCure Medical Corp., a Newport Beach, Calif.–based provider of radiology therapy. No financial terms were disclosed. Sellers include Halpern Denny & Co., Crossbow Ventures and MedEquity Capital.

Lehman Brothers Co-Investment Partners has acquired a 36% stake in aerospace manufacturer Firth Rixson from The Carlyle Group, according to Financial News Online. Carlyle will retain a majority stake, and had been advised on its initial acquisition of Firth Rixson by Lehman Brothers.

Permira reportedly is nearing a deal to sell budget hotel operator Travelodge to Dubai International Capital for £650 million.

RathGibson Inc., a Janesville, Wis.-based maker of stainless-steel and alloy-welded tubing products, has acquired Greenville Tube Co., a Greenville. Pa.–based manufacturer of stainless-steel tubing. No financial terms were disclosed. RathGibson is a portfolio company of Castle Harlan, while Greenville Tube had been backed by Capital for Business, Hickory Venture Group, Diamond State Ventures, Alpha Capital Partners and Mid States Capital. Goldsmith Agio Helms advised Greenville Tube on the deal.

Veronis Suhler Stevenson has agreed to buy financial information companies Hemscott PLC and i-Deal LLC, and then merge them into a single company. VSS already holds a 73% stake in U.K.-based Hemscott, which is listed on the AIM and is being valued at approximately £53 million. It is not a current shareholder in New York-based i-Deal, but will buy a controlling stake from shareholders like Microsoft and Thomson Financial (publisher of the Buyouts). Existing i-Deal shareholders Merrill Lynch and Citigroup will retain minority stakes in the combined company.

WestLB has agreed to sell its stake in German bank HSH Norbank for €1.25 billion to five institutional investors advised by J.C. Flowers & Co. The institutions acted independently of one another. WestLB holds a 24.1% stake of HSH’s share capital and 26.6% of the voting rights.