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The Wire

Private equity deal news and insights from the London newsroom

Mar 13, 2025

 

Fitness and wellness industry ripe for wave of consolidation; IK Partners’ Plastiflex makes two add-ons

Good morning, Nina Lindholm here with the Europe Wire from the London newsroom.

 

We kick this morning off by delving into the trends making the fitness and wellness segment an interesting playground for private equity. We hear from André Pichler, managing director and co-head of corporate finance, Italy at Houlihan Lokey, and we revisit our recent coverage on the sector.

 

We finish with a double acquisition by IK Partners’ portfolio company Plastiflex Group.

 

Keeping fit

Fragmentation, non-discretionary consumer spending and tech advancements have poised the fitness and wellness segment for a wave of consolidation, André Pichler, managing director and co-head of corporate finance, Italy at Houlihan Lokey, told PE Hub.

 

To read why Pichler predicts enhanced customer experiences and AI to play a role in the segment's growth, check out the premium Wire here.

 

Double deal

Let’s shift from keeping fit to healthcare. IK Partners portfolio company Plastiflex Group has acquired Smooth-Bor Plastics and TIK.

 

To learn Plastiflex's expected sales and EBITDA figures, take a look at the full Wire coverage here.

 

That’s all from me. Michael Schoeck will write to you later with the US edition, while Irien Joseph is on Europe duty tomorrow morning.

 

Cheers,

Nina

 

Read the full Wire commentary on PE Hub ...

Today's must reads

> Orlando Bravo: 'The best PE firms are built around moments of dislocation like this' More...
> Private equity gets hospitality tech up to speed, eyes dynamic pricing More...
> Carlyle's Brian Bernasek: 'Unsettling time, but we do see the path through' More...
> Underpenetrated healthcare IT market driving PE investments More...
> Archimed plans to make BioVendor a European player in diagnostics More...

Also of note (may require subscriptions)

 

Ex-Brookfield chair Mark Carney poised to become Canada’s next PM: Carney’s rapid transition to politics from private markets comes as President Donald Trump threatens to impose punishing tariffs on Canadian goods. (Buyouts) 

 

Lazard secondaries head sees record-breaking wave of dealflow in Q1: LPs and GPs alike are finding secondaries technology 'extremely beneficial', Holcombe Green said at PEI Group's NEXUS 2025 conference in Orlando this week. (Private Equity International) 

 

Blackstone’s $2bn investment in ITE sets novel exchange for short-term equity: ITE co-founder Jason Koenig and Blackstone’s head of infra and asset-based credit Robert Horn explain why the transportation fund manager was more of a fit for Blackstone’s credit arm. (Infrastructure Investor)  

 

Making employee ownership the core of an investment strategy: As well as delivering impact, employee ownership schemes drive value in businesses, Philip Reeves, co-founder of Apis & Heritage Capital Partners and one of our sustainable private markets influencers, tells The New Private Markets Podcast. 

 

Blackstone closes $8bn real estate debt fund: Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies V is the firm’s second $8bn fundraise for the strategy. (Private Debt Investor)

Deals

> Capza-backed Tevah Systèmes buys Serviacom More...
> Innova to buy Proservice Finteco from Oaktree, Cornerstone More...
> Genstar-backed Docupace acquires financial advisors workflow management platform Hubly More...
> CIVC Partners-backed INS acquires tech solutions provider Source Inc More...
> Wynnchurch Capital-backed Owen scoops up J&R Equipment More...
> IK-backed Plastiflex makes dual acquisitions with Smooth-Bor, TIK More...
People
> Avalt taps James Scola as partner More...
> Sentinel Capital appoints Eric Bommer as managing partner More...
> InTandem Capital taps Arellano as operating partner More...

They said it

“Private equity also expects to see technology, such as AI, becoming a key component of the fitness experience, along with the growing convergence between precision nutrition and fitness/wellness.”

— André Pichler, managing director and co-head of corporate finance, Italy, Houlihan Lokey

 

Today's letter was prepared by Nina Lindholm

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