Scalian changes hands. Founded in 1989 in Toulouse under the name Eurogiciel and now one of the top 10 engineering companies in France, the company is in the process of being acquired by Wendel. The investment company has just announced that it is in exclusive negotiations to acquire most of Scalian’s shares from the Belgian fund Cobepa. In the operation, Wendel intends to invest approximately 550 million euros knowing that the enterprise value is estimated at 965 million euros.
A strong recovery driven by aeronautics
Scalian is far from desperate. The company, which today employs 5,200 people in nine countries, has seen its turnover jump from 310 million euros in June 2022 to probably reach 510 million euros for the current financial year with 74 million. euros of EBITDA.
In Toulouse, Scalian currently concentrates nearly 900 employees between the head office and the activities of its divisions and announced at the start of the year a plan to recruit 300 additional people in Toulouse in 2023. the health crisis, the engineering company is now driven by the strong recovery of the aeronautics sector and the good health of the space sector.
Scalian also benefits from a sustained dynamic around environmental issues for its historical customers but also for new sectors in the rail or energy sectors. ” We for example, we support Airbus Commercial in applying its environmental objectives to its suppliers. We also try more and more to offer solutions in the field of responsible purchasing, we also have specific services on life cycle analysis, carbon footprints… “, detailed last February Sylvain Bouchaud, regional director of the performance division of Scalian’s operations in the Southwest.
Aim for 1.5 billion euros in turnover in 2028
A great dynamic that is of close interest to new investors.
« Scalian represents 30% growth per year in turnover since 2015, including more than 12% organic growth. For us, this capacity for growth is intact. We believe that Scalian has significant potential for development through organic growth and selective acquisitions aimed at achieving its ambition of reaching around 1.5 billion euros in revenue by 2028. », indicates to the Tribuneits president Laurent Mignon.
To continue to grow Scalian, Wendel is targeting both promising business segments to support the digitalization of the economy, the rise of CSR and environmental issues, but also a stronger internationalization of the company by relying on the presence of the investment company, particularly in the United States.
First unlisted operation in France since 2011
This transaction is a direct extension of the strategy put forward by Wendel when presenting its latest results:
« We are set an envelope of approximately two billion euros over the next two years to invest mainly in unlisted companies that we will support by being the majority and playing its role as an active shareholder alongside managers with tickets from the order of 300 to 600 million euros “says Laurent Mignon.
Scalian represents the first investment in the unlisted in France for Wendel since 2011. Subject to obtaining the various regulatory green lights, the completion of this transaction should take place in the second half of 2023.
