Actively Pursuing Investments in Capital Equipment, Engineered Products and High Value Added Assembly Industries
New York, NY (March 3, 2008) -- KPS Capital Partners, LP ("KPS") today announced that it has entered into an exclusive relationship with Pierre de Villemejane. Mr. de Villemejane will advise KPS as it pursues investments in the capital equipment, engineered products, and high value-added assembly industries in North America and Europe. His extensive experience in assembly, sales, sourcing and distribution of finished products and components in Greater Asia provides KPS with a unique resource to evaluate investment opportunities worldwide.
KPS and Mr. de Villemejane have a successful track record working together. Mr. de Villemejane served as Chief Executive Officer of KPS portfolio company Speedline Technologies, Inc. ("Speedline"), a leading global producer of manufacturing equipment and services for the printed circuit board and semiconductor packaging industries. In partnership with KPS, Mr. de Villemejane transformed Speedline from a severely underperforming North American subsidiary of a European company into the leading supplier of capital equipment in its industry worldwide. KPS subsequently sold Speedline to Illinois Tool Works Inc. ("ITW"), resulting in a significant gain for KPS's investors, after which he joined ITW. Mr. de Villemejane has also held senior executive positions at Cookson Group plc, from which KPS acquired Speedline.
In pursing investment opportunities in the capital equipment, engineered products and value-added assembly industries, KPS will consider standalone investments in operating companies, and the acquisition of businesses operating as subsidiaries or divisions of large multinational companies. KPS has the capital, expertise and successful track record to consummate transactions in these industries expeditiously.
Companies in KPS's target industries seeking investment capital or interested in divesting businesses units are encouraged to contact Pierre de Villemejane or Randy Hicks, a KPS Managing Director-Business Development, at 212-338-5100.
About KPS Capital Partners
KPS, through its affiliated management entities, is the manager of the KPS Special Situations Funds, a family of investment funds with approximately $19.7 billion of assets under management (as of December 31, 2024). For over three decades, the Partners of KPS have worked exclusively to realize significant capital appreciation by making controlling equity investments in manufacturing and industrial companies across a diverse array of industries, including basic materials, branded consumer, healthcare and luxury products, automotive parts, capital equipment and general manufacturing. KPS creates value for its investors by working constructively with talented management teams to make businesses better, and generates investment returns by structurally improving the strategic position, competitiveness and profitability of its portfolio companies, rather than primarily relying on financial leverage. The KPS Funds’ portfolio companies currently generate aggregate annual revenues of approximately $22.2 billion, operate 222 manufacturing facilities in 30 countries, and have approximately 58,000 employees, directly and through joint ventures worldwide (as of December 31, 2024, pro forma for recent acquisitions). The KPS investment strategy and portfolio companies are described in detail at www.kpsfund.com.