25 May 2022  |  Helsinki

DIF Capital Partners to grow its district heating and energy services business platform Loimua by acquiring Pilke Energia

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that its Finnish district heating and energy services business platform Loimua Oy (formerly known as Elenia Heat) has agreed to acquire Pilke Energia and its subsidiaries from Lahti Energia.

Pilke Energia owns and operates biomass boilers with a capacity of 48MW across two sites in the municipality of Kärkölä, South of Finland. The company’s main responsibility is to produce energy for a local wood product company, Koskisen Oy.

Loimua’s CEO Matti Tynjälä says: “Koskisen will be a significant new customer for our industrial-scale energy services business. Renewable energy and its production serve the customer’s needs and the companies’ carbon neutrality goals in a great way. Loimua’s experience in producing renewable energy supports new cooperation in meeting Koskinen’s energy needs”.

DIF and its partners were advised by Avance (legal) and Deloitte (tax and accounting).

About Loimua

DIF Capital Partners, together with its partners Local Pensions Partnership Investments and abrdn, acquired Loimua in July 2019 with DIF Infrastructure V (link to original press release). Loimua is the second largest private supplier of district heating in Finland, providing environmentally sustainable heating to residential, commercial and public sector customers. The company owns and operates 640MW of heat production capacity across 16 networks, covering circa 500 kilometers and circa 4,600 supply points (85,000 end-users).

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with ca. EUR 11 billion in assets under management across ten closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF III is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized core-plus infrastructure companies in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.
  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure VI is the latest vintage, target core infrastructure equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and energy transition projects (incl. renewable energy).

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 190 professionals, based in eleven offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, t.verburg@dif.eu.

 

19 May 2022  |  Paris

DIF Capital Partners to sell French fibre company ADTIM

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that DIF Core Infrastructure Fund I (“CIF I”) signed an agreement to sell its 55% ownership stake in ADTIM SAS (“ADTIM”), a French fibre company, to HICL Infrastructure PLC (“HICL”), the listed core infrastructure fund managed by InfraRed Capital Partners. This will be the first exit for CIF I.

ADTIM operates an independent wholesale broadband network that focuses on low-density areas in the Ardèche and Drôme departments. ADTIM was awarded two complementary concession contracts by the public local authority Syndicat mixte ADN, under the French PIN (Public Initiative Networks) scheme. The company operates two infrastructure networks providing broadband access to telecom operators serving both residential and business retail markets.

During DIF’s ownership, ADTIM has realised over 100,000 new rolled-out connections in the low density household areas of the Drôme and Ardèche departments, and established a very robust BtB platform with over 2,000 enterprises served by the ADTIM network. It has maintained its network to a high standard with an overall availability of its network reaching over 99%. DIF has exercised its oversight authority effectively as majority shareholder of ADTIM to ensure that ADTIM complies responsibly with its concession agreements with ADN as well as to its clients and end users.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits, said “This is the first exit for CIF I, an important milestone for our CIF strategy. Benefitting from the strong momentum in the European fibre market, this exit is expected to yield attractive returns to our CIF I investors. We believe InfraRed is an excellent counterparty and is very well placed to manage the company going forward.”

DIF was advised on the transaction by DC Advisory (financial), Orrick (legal), Analysys Mason (commercial), KPMG and Denjean & Associés (tax & accounting), Currie & Brown (technical), as well as Marsh (insurance).

Closing of the transaction is subject to the receipt of customary approvals and consents.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with ca. EUR 11 billion in assets under management across ten closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF III is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized core-plus infrastructure companies in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.
  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure VI is the latest vintage, target core infrastructure equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and energy transition projects (incl. renewable energy).

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 190 professionals, based in eleven offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, t.verburg@dif.eu.

 

6 May 2022  |  London

Keynote Interview Caine Bouwmeester in II Energy Transition Report 2022

Infra managers need to take an agile approach to seize the best opportunities in the renewables as well as broader energy transition market.

In the 2022 edition of Infrastructure Investor’s Energy Transition Report, DIF’s Head of Renewable Energy Caine Bouwmeester explains why the renewable energy and energy transition market will continue to show strong growth and what DIF’s approach is to this highly attractive market, offering a wide variety of investment opportunities.

To read the complete article open II Key Note Interview with Caine Bouwmeester

4 May 2022  |  New York

DIF Capital Partners makes strategic investment in US wireless digital infrastructure platform Airtower Networks

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) and Airtower Networks (“Airtower”), a leading developer, owner, and operator of wireless digital infrastructure, are pleased to announce that they have reached agreement for DIF to be Airtower’s growth capital partner and support the management team in achieving its strategic vision in building a nation-wide platform. This transaction will be the first investment in the DIF CIF III fund.

DIF is a leading global independent fund manager that invests in a broad range of greenfield and operational infrastructure companies and assets worldwide. The investment will enable Airtower to rapidly expand its cutting-edge wireless network solutions to customers.

Airtower designs, builds, owns, and operates a full suite of network solutions and managed services that enable in-building wireless and smart building connectivity. The timing of this investment coincides with the increasing market demand for high-quality wireless service within the vast number of buildings that require improved coverage and capacity. Airtower’s vision is to become the nation’s largest in-building neutral host 5G and wireless network provider. The company will achieve this by delivering innovative solutions that help building owners, property developers, enterprises, and mobile network operators manage their wireless infrastructure investments, while also helping them to produce an attractive return on their investment. With clients ranging from the largest commercial real estate developers to the most technologically advanced government and private organizations, Airtower consistently provides leading edge customized solutions to meet each client’s wireless needs.

“DIF believes that the ongoing trend of cloud migration, where companies store their data and interact with their customers, vendors, and partners in the cloud, will further increase the need for high-speed wireless internet connections. Similarly in the residential and office space, ubiquitous 5G is essential for the new generation of smart buildings. DIF is excited to partner with a well-established in-building wireless company such as Airtower and its experienced management team” said Willem Jansonius, Partner and Head of Investments for the DIF CIF strategy.

“Airtower has experienced record-breaking growth over the past couple of years in terms of revenue, new bookings, networks deployed, and profitability. DIF is a world class infrastructure investment fund manager, and we’ve greatly enjoyed getting to know the DIF team. We are looking forward to partnering with DIF to continue scaling the business” said Oliver Valente, Airtower’s Chief Executive Officer.

“We’re excited about the injection of investment capital and sector expertise provided by DIF. The additional resources and broad support will give Airtower the capability to rapidly scale the success we’ve had providing innovative wireless and smart building solutions for commercial real estate and cellular carriers” said Manny Dureja, Airtower’s Founder and President.

Greenhill & Co served as financial advisor and DLA Piper acted as legal counsel to Airtower. Bank Street Group served as exclusive financial advisor and White & Case acted as legal counsel to DIF.

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent investment manager, with ca. EUR 10 billion in assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF invests in infrastructure companies and assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Australia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF CIF funds, of which DIF CIF II is the latest vintage, target equity investments in small to mid-sized core-plus infrastructure companies in the telecom, energy transition, and transportation sectors.
  • Traditional DIF funds, of which DIF Infrastructure VI is the latest vintage, target core infrastructure equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships, concessions, utilities, and energy transition projects (incl. renewable energy).

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 190 professionals, based in eleven offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sydney, and Toronto. For more information please visit www.dif.eu.

Contact: Thijs Verburg, t.verburg@dif.eu.