Goodwin represented funds advised by Equistone Partners Europe ("Equistone") and its portfolio company Sport Group in connection with the sale of Sport Group to KPS Capital Partners ("KPS").
Founded in 1969, Sport Group is a global player in the manufacture of artificial turf systems and synthetic surfaces for sports and leisure with a strong presence in its home market of Germany, as well as Europe, Australia and the USA. Headquartered in Burgheim, the group provides its customers with a comprehensive product portfolio including artificial turf, polyurethane surfaces and components for industrial and landscaping applications.
Equistone acquired a majority stake in Sport Group in June 2015. During its partnership with Equistone, Sport Group achieved to more than double its revenues, despite a challenging economic environment due to the Covid pandemic and disrupted supply chains.
The Goodwin Private Equity and Finance team was led by Winfried Carli, Folko Moroni, Jakob Lutzenberger, and Reid Bagwell.
The firm also advised Equistone on the initial acquisition financing in 2015 and Sport Group on a wide range of financing transactions.