LINXIS Group Announces the Acquisition of Bakon

NANTES, FRANCE – LINXIS Group, leader in specialised equipment for the food and health industries, together with its key financial partner IK Investment Partners, are pleased to announce the acquisition of Bakon, specialist in food processing and bakery equipment, from managers and current investor Rabo Investments.

Bakon’s activity complements the “Portion Process” division of LINXIS, represented today by the company Unifiller, and enriches its expertise in depositing, but also in ultrasonic cutting and spraying processes. Its experience in managing industrial line projects will enable LINXIS Group and its companies to address larger markets, both in terms of activities and geography.

“With Bakon’s acquisition, LINXIS Group will further strengthen its expertise and excellence. Representing the third acquisition following investment from IK Investment Partners, we pursue our strategy of adding to our existing portfolio, companies and brands with deep knowledge and complementary technologies, in order to continuously develop solutions that closely meet the needs of our markets.” – LINXIS Group CEO, Didier Soumet

“We are very excited to welcome Bakon into our Group. Bakon will broaden our offering while providing a stronger presence in various strategic geographic areas. The sharing of best practice and processes amongst all the LINXIS companies will leverage the added value of our global solutions.” – LINXIS Group Vice-President/Shick Esteve CEO, Tim Cook.

“All of us at Bakon are thrilled to be joining LINXIS Group which will allow us to further improve our processes and organisation, as well as the long-term continuity of our business and of the Bakon brand. LINXIS companies complement Bakon’s offering, with a worldwide reach, a focus on specialised equipment and high-value added services. We see a distinct match of business and corporate cultures backed by a focus on excellence, passionate professionalism and permanent support provided to customers. Rabo Investments has greatly helped and stimulated us over the years, providing insight and support in terms of financial, strategic and commercial management. We have always been successful in finding the right partner for each phase of our company’s development and look forward to continuing our journey with LINXIS Group.” – Bakon CEO, Ronald Gijssel.

About LINXIS Group
LINXIS Group gathers leaders in specialized equipment for the food and health industries – Diosna, Shick Esteve, Unifiller and VMI are experts in ingredient automation, pre-dough systems, mixing and depositing technologies. Their common mission is to grow their position as global leaders in process equipment design and supply, for the customers they serve all around the world. http://www.linxisgroup.com

About Bakon
Bakon is a Dutch company that designs, manufactures, and installs spraying, depositing, and cutting machines for the baking and confectionery industries. For the last thirty years, Bakon has provided best-in-class equipment to bakers and confectioners worldwide. It boasts a wide variety of solutions from standard equipment for artisan bakers to custom-made production lines. http://www.bakon.com

About IK Investment Partners
IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan-European private equity firm focused on investments in the Benelux, DACH, France, Nordics and the UK. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €14 billion of capital and invested in 150 European companies. IK supports companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. http://www.ikinvest.com

About Rabo Investments
Rabo Investments is Rabobank’s investment franchise. It has invested over €1.5 billion worldwide within the focus sectors Food & Agri, Sustainability and Healthcare in the Netherlands and within the Food & Agri sector worldwide. These investments range from growth capital for innovative start-ups and scale-ups to (co-)investments in established companies and funds. http://www.raboinvestments.com