CapMan looks to acquire 80% stake in Ruukki Group’s Pohjolan Design–Talo

Ruukki Group has agreed to sell off the majority holding in Pohjolan Design-Talo, the Finnish house builder to funds managed by CapMan. Total size of the deal is approximately EUR 76 million in cash for 80% stake. The other 20% of the company remain with its management.

Transaction is expected to be completed by March 2011, and is subject to an approval by the Finnish Competition Authority. The acquisition comes as a result of the reevaluated strategy of Ruukki and its decision to divest itself of its house building business and focus on vertical integration in the mine – to – metal production.

Pohjolan Design-Talo (www.designtalo.fi)
Pohjolan Design-Talo designs and builds ready-to-move-in houses. The company was founded in 1989 and is based in Keminmaa, Finland. In 2010, Design – Talo became the market leader in the sector of wood –framed, turnkey houses. The company employs 154 people.

Ruukki Group (www.ruukkigroup.fi)
Ruukki Group is a natural resources company. It has wood processing business in Finland and mining and minerals business in southern Europe and South Africa. Ruukki is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki and on the London Stock Exchange. Ruukki employs 307 people in its wood processing operations and 677 in the minerals business.

CapMan (www.capman.com)
CapMan is one of the leading alternative asset managers in the Nordic countries and Russia and manages funds with approximately €3.6 billion in total capital. It was established in 1989 and its B shares are listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange since 2001.

CapMan manages private equity funds specialising in buyout, mezzanine, technology, life science or real estate investments. Altogether CapMan employs 150 people in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Moscow and Luxembourg.