NEW YORK, USA – Global law firm White & Case LLP has advised IMA and its controlling shareholders on an investment from BDT & MSD Partners, a merchant serving the distinct needs of business owners and strategic, long term investors.
BDT & MSD Partners acquires its stake from BC Partners, an international private equity fund which partnered with the Vacchi family to take the company private from the Milan stock exchange in 2020. The Vacchi family remains the majority owner of the IMA holding company.
Founded in 1961, IMA sells and services complete lines of automation machinery for the packaging and processing of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, cosmetics, tea, coffee and other food products, and e-mobility solutions in more than 80 countries and had approximately €2 billion in revenue in 2022.
The transaction is expected to close in late 2023, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
The White & Case team which advised on the transaction was led by partners Michael Immordino (London & Milan), Leonardo Graffi (Milan & London) and Alessandro Seganfreddo (Milan), together with associates Caitlin Powell Gimpel, Edoardo Avato, Valerio Bianchi and Daniele Pojani (all Milan) and lawyers Roberta Monasterolo and Lucia Onofri (both Milan).
Financing aspects were led by a joint London and Milan team comprising partners James Greene (London) and Evgeny Scirtò Ostrovskiy (Milan & London), local partner Bianca Caruso (Milan), associates John Sanders and Beatrice Bertuzzi (both Milan) and lawyer Francesco Balestra (Milan).
FDI and antitrust aspects were advised by partners Orion Berg (Paris) and Tilman Kuhn (Düsseldorf & Brussels), and associates Cornelius Börner, Elisa Coppo (both Brussels) and Tommaso Poli (Brussels & Milan).
