Helsinki, 2016-03-10 10:46 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Taaleri is launching a new circular economy private equity fund. The fund is the first private equity fund in the world to focus on the circular economy. The fund’s target size is EUR 25-40 million. The minimum investment is EUR 1,000. For investors, the fund opens in March, and it provides an opportunity to combine financial objectives with sustainable benefits for the environment.
“The circular economy is new age materialism, in which the value of a material is understood throughout its entire life cycle. The circular economy is ‘resource smart’. It is the union of the economy and the environment, and a new model for the economy, providing a solution to reconcile economic growth and globally limited resources. The circular economy is more than recycling, because in the circular economy the goal from the very beginning is to manufacture materials and products so that they remain in circulation. Thus the waste generated is also minimised,” explains Investment Director Tero Luoma from Taaleri.
Taaleri Kiertotalous Ky private equity fund will make private equity investments in both companies and individual production plants. The fund will be a balanced combination of growth companies, established business operations and cash flow-based asset items. The fund will invest in Finnish businesses and assets. The fund will make 5-10 mutually independent investments. The average investment will be EUR 2-5 million per investment object.
The fund will focus particularly on three themes: renewable energy, recycling and material handling, and energy-saving solutions. The circular economy is a theme of current interest. The European Commission adopted a Circular Economy Package in December 2015. The circular economy is also a key theme of the Finland’s Government Programme. According to a study by Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, for Finland the circular economy is a EUR 1.5–2.5 billion opportunity in value added.
Taaleri Kiertotalous fund’s lead portfolio manager will be Investment Director Tero Luoma. Luoma has nine years’ experience of private equity investment and is currently lead portfolio manager of the Biotehdas Fund. The Biotehdas biogas chain owned by the fund was sold to Gasum Oy in February.
Taaleri Circular Economy invests first in Volter
Taaleri Kiertotalous circular economy private equity fund has made its first investment by purchasing a holding in Volter Oy. Volter, based in Kempele, Finland, is a growth company and a pioneer in wood gasification technology. The small power plants manufactured by the company produce electricity and heat from wood chips.
“Volter Oy is a model example of a fast-growing, profitable and international Finnish company. The company has able management, an effective concept and a strong growth outlook, for example in Japan. Finland needs companies like this,” says Luoma as justification for the investment.
“Volter is a young and innovative company of around 15 employees in the growing clean energy sector. We have a strong development history. The idea of a wood gas car has developed into the Kempele eco-village, important patents and many international export deals. Over 95% of the company’s sales are in the export market. Taaleri’s investment will help us grow faster,” says Jarno Haapakoski, Volter’s Managing Director.
The most important markets are Europe, Japan, North America and Australia. Turnover in 2015 was EUR 2.7 million and operating profit was EUR 0.6 million. This year the company will grow by over 100% and profitability will increase. Taaleri Kiertotalous Ky owns 30% of Volter.
Taaleri Plc
Communications
Further information:
Tero Luoma, Investment Director, Taaleri Private Equity Funds Ltd, tel. +358 50 344 9993 tero.luoma@taaleri.com
Jarno Haapakoski, Managing Director, Volter Oy, +358 40 739 0461, jarno.haapakoski@volter.fi
Taaleri in brief
Taaleri is a financial group listed on the First North Finland marketplace, maintained by NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. Taaleri provides wealth management and financing services to institutional investors, companies and private individuals. Taaleri Group consists of the parent company Taaleri Plc and four operational subsidiaries: Taaleri Wealth Management Ltd and its subsidiaries, Taaleri Private Equity Funds Ltd and its subsidiaries, Taaleri Investment Ltd and Garantia Insurance Company Ltd. In addition, Taaleri has an associated company, Fellow Finance Oy, which offers peer-to-peer lending services. The Group has over 180 employees. Its offices are located in Helsinki, Tampere, Turku, Pori, Oulu, Istanbul and Nairobi.
At the end of 2015, Taaleri had assets under management of EUR 3.9 billion and 3,500 wealth management clients. The entire Group’s base of direct and indirect clients totals 30,000 accounts. Taaleri Plc has 1,900 shareholders. The operations of Taaleri are supervised by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority.
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