Nordhaven advised in a major Nordic platform transaction in the B2B distribution markets of essential products

14 mar 2024

Nordhaven advised Pamark and its owners on the sale of the company to UK listed Bunzl Plc, the largest value-added distributor in the world within its market sectors. Finland represents the 33rd country in which Bunzl operates. In 2022 Nordhaven had advised Pamark and its owners on the sale of the company to OptiGroup. However, the transaction was unexpectedly blocked by the Finnish Consumer and Competition Authority in August 2023. Nordhaven continued in its advisory role and the transaction with Bunzl was signed in January 2024, and closed on the 29th of February, 2024. 

Pamark adds value to its customers by providing a wide range of consumables, devices, and related services that are essential for its customers to run their businesses successfully. The company works for customers within various resilient and growing segments, such as healthcare, cleaning & hygiene, and HoReCa. Pamark's customers are from both the public and private sectors. Through its sourcing, Pamark can create a large, positive impact on its customers’ operations by offering competitive prices and advising on the transition towards using more sustainable consumables. Pamark was created through a merger between MedKit and Pamark in 2021, and it has sales of close to €60 million.

Bunzl is a UK-based international company with a focused compounder strategy. During the last 20 years Bunzl has acquired over 200 companies around the world. Bunzl has a topline of approximately £12 billion, close to £1 billion in adjusted operating profit, and around 24,500 employees. Bunzl ‘s shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and it has a market capitalisation of about £10 billion.

"When we were choosing a financial advisor to help us find the right partner to continue our company's growth story, the most important things were that there must be a match in personal chemistries, including trust and sense of humour, and that we share the same strategic view regarding the sales process. The characteristics of the Nordhaven team matched perfectly with us, and our decision to choose Nordhaven as our financial advisor turned out to be the right one. Without the skills and long-term commitment of Nordhaven's team the final result of this sale process would not have been as successful!" says Minna Åman-Toivio, CEO and majority owner of Pamark.

"We are happy for the owners of Pamark for reaching an outstanding end result, both financially and business-wise. It is great to work with companies that have strong business models and management teams. We consider that the markets for essential business solutions are still fairly fragmented and further consolidation will take place," says Timo Lappalainen, responsible partner for the project.

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