AvH has reached an agreement with the founders of the security company Cobelguard to acquire a 40%-stake in D&S Holding NV, the parent company of Cobelguard NV, Cobelservices NV and Cobelguard Light CIT NV.
Cobelguard was founded in 1992. Since 1996 Cobelguard focuses on static guarding and surveillance by unarmed security guards and this only on private property.
Cobelguard concentrates both on the guarding of shopping centres, cinemas, office buildings, department stores, industrial- and production businesses, harbours, parkings, .... as well as on interventions after alarm and surveillance, whether or not with dogs or on horses.
In 2005 Cobelguard realised a turnover of € 25,8 million and an EBIT of € 2,3 million and has become the 4th largest group in the Belgian guarding market. The group employs 750 security agents.
With this participation AvH wishes to actively support the existing shareholders and management to further strengthen Cobelguard, also via the development of related services, and to accelerate its expansion in Belgium and possibly abroad, both by internal as well as external growth.
Antwerp, April 28th 2006
For further information please contact:
Jan Suykens
Member of the Executive Committee
tel: +32.3.897.92.13
e-mail : dirsec@avh.be
Piet Dejonghe
Member of the Executive Committee
tel: +32.3.897.92.14
e-mail : dirsec@avh.be
Ackermans & van Haaren is a diversified group active in 4 key sectors: dredging, environmental and construction services (DEME, one of the largest dredging companies in the world - Algemene Aannemingen Van Laere, a leading contractor in Belgium), financial services (Bank Delen, one of the largest independent private asset managers in Belgium - Bank J.Van Breda & C°, niche bank for entrepreneurs and liberal professions), private equity (Sofinim, one of the largest private equity providers in Belgium, and GIB) and Real Estate (Leasinvest Real Estate-Extensa, an important real estate developer and investor in Belgium/Luxembourg).
The group concentrates on a limited number of strategic participations with an important potential for growth. Market capitalisation of AvH is approximately € 2 billion.
AvH is included in the BEL Mid index and is a member of Euronext Next Prime.
