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expansion
Company
Based in Helsinki, 3 Step IT Group Oy is a service company specialising in the management of the
acquisition, use and replacement of technology and other fixed assets. The company has operations in
12 countries and has shown strong growth since it was established in 1997.
With approximately 170 employees, 3 Step IT generated net sales of €220m in 2009.
People
Antti Kummu worked on the deal for Finnish Industry Investment. Elina Lehtonen is head of unit at
Etera Mutual Pension Insurance Company.
Advisers
Equity – KPMG (Financial due diligence); Krogerus (Legal).
buyouts
Leveraged buyouts and buy-ins involving equity investments by formalised private equity investors through the formation of a newco based in the
Nordic regions.
Accent acquires stake in new aviation group
Transaction
Accent Equity Partners has acquired a 50% stake in Aviator Airport Alliance, a newly formed group of
Nordic aviation service providers.
The value of the deal was not disclosed but was reported to be in the investor’s target deal range of
€5-50m. Nordic Aero of Sweden and Røros Flyservice and Norport Ground Handling of Norway are
the companies forming the group. The Accent Equity 2008 fund provided equity for the transaction.
The deal originated approximately six months ago, when Accent and the Norwegian companies
made contact. Following that, it made an approach to Nordic Aero. Accent had both strategic- and
transaction-focused teams working in parallel on the deal and, according to the investor, this transaction
placed high demand on execution.
SWEDEN
BUYOUT
Aviator Airport
Alliance
n/d (€5-50m)
Location Stockholm, Oslo
Sector Business support
services
Founded 2010
Turnover c SEK 1bn
Staff 1,250
Accent was attracted to the deal because of the companies’ market position and large customer base.
Advantages of forming a group, such as significant synergies, were also said to have been attractive. The
investor will support growth organically and through acquisitions with an aim to expand, primarily in
the Nordic market. The three service providers’ management also reinvested in the company to take a
combined stake of 50%.
Debt
A Nordic bank provided leverage for the transaction. The name of the bank was not disclosed because
the transaction is incomplete.
Company
Aviator Airport Alliance is a newly formed group consisting of Nordic Aero, Røros Flyservice and
Norport Ground Handling. The company has headquarters in Sweden and Norway and provides
ground-handling services at airports, such as check-in, baggage handling and boarding. With operations
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