Lima Corporate SpA ownership is changing hands from one private equity firm to another.
On December 23, 2015, the Italian company announced that private equity firm EQT acquired the majority of the company’s shares. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval in European jurisdiction.
Lima picked up some of the spoils of the divestiture requirements put on Zimmer Holdings, Inc. and Biomet, Inc. when those two companies agreed to merge. Lima purchased Zimmer Biomet’s unicompartmental high flex knee and Discovery Elbow System, as well as the supply chain in the Japanese market.
In Europe, Lima purchased Zimmer’s unicompartmental High Flex knee implant and Biomet’s Discovery Elbow System within the European Economic Area and Switzerland. Lima Corporate also acquired Biomet’s Vanguard complete knee system in Denmark and Sweden.
Lima has a long history, having been started in 1945 to produce surgical instruments. In 1969, Lima SpA is born to focus on titanium processing. Between 1993-1994, the company reorganizes and enters the orthopedic market with the brand Lima-Lto. In 2008, the company starts acquiring companies to accelerate the ongoing internationalization process. First, Hit Medica SpA (Italy and San Marino), then Biosuma srl and the Australian and New Zealand orthotech markets in 2009, and finally, Dima of Italy in 2010.
EQT is a global private equity group with approximately 29 billion Euros in raised capital. EQT has portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the U.S. with total sales of more than 17 billion Euros and 140, 000 employees. EQT is replacing Ardian, a private investment firm founded in 1996, as the majority shareholder.
“EQT has followed Lima for almost ten years and we are impressed by the company’s growth history as well as the strength of the management team. We are now keen to support Lima in its next phase of development. Lima is well-positioned for future growth and we are convinced it can be accelerated by leveraging our industrial network and resources. We look forward to working with the management team to achieve the full potential of Lima, ” EQT partner Michael Bauer said in the press release.
