Namakor, QMF and the Caisse join forces to acquire GGI

Canadian holding company Namakor Holdings, the Québec Manufacturing Fund (QMF) and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec have acquired all outstanding shares of Groupe Graham International (GGI). No financial terms were disclosed. Based in Lachine, Québec, GGI specializes in the design, engineering and manufacturing of customized electro-mechanical assemblies used in a range of industries. Eric Saint-Jacques has been tapped as the company’s new chief executive. The partnership with Namakor, QMF and long-standing investor the Caisse is intended to support GGI’s international growth plan.

PRESS RELEASE

NAMAKOR Holdings, the QMF and La Caisse Acquire GGI

MONTRÉAL, Sept. 19, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ – NAMAKOR Holdings, the Québec Manufacturing Fund (QMF) and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec today announced the acquisition of all outstanding shares of Groupe Graham International (GGI).

GGI is a world leader in user interface technologies in touch applications. The company, which specializes in the design, engineering and manufacturing of customized electromechanical assemblies, works primarily in the aerospace, medical, industrial, transportation and self-serve electronic transaction kiosk sectors.

In addition to providing the financing required to strengthen its international growth plan, this transaction will enable GGI to fully draw on the expertise of its new investors, NAMAKOR Holdings and the QMF. La Caisse, which has invested in GGI since 2011, will continue to provide strategic and financial support.

Eric Saint-Jacques will head the businesses and lead its development. He is a seasoned executive who has held a range of senior management positions in a variety of industries. These include telecommunications, business management systems, digital media and electronic products. Mr. Saint-Jacques brings with him international engineering, operations, manufacturing, business development and sales management experience.

“All key elements are in place to enable GGI to continue to grow. The management team, which has created a business with strong growth potential, combined with the high quality of our strategic and financial partners, as well as our rich technological expertise and unparalleled market reputation, will enable GGI to strengthen its leadership position,” said Eric Saint-Jacques, GGI’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. “We want to especially thank the Graham family, Francine, Peter and Ian, for having built such a qualified team, and for having so expertly guided GGI for more than two decades.”

“NAMAKOR Holdings’ mission is to acquire niche businesses and promote their growth. We see enormous potential in GGI, which has already been able to attract a prestigious international clientele,” notes Patrick Dussault, NAMAKOR Holding’s President and Senior Partner.

“Through this investment, the QMF hopes to help GGI create value and achieve its full potential. We hope to make available our manufacturing sector expertise to support the business in optimizing its operations,” said Marc Dufresne, a partner at the Québec Manufacturing Fund.

“As a long-term investor, we focus on the sustainability of high-performance businesses, which is why la Caisse decided to pursue its commitment to GGI,” said Christian Dubé, Executive Vice-President, Québec at la Caisse. “With this investment, la Caisse hopes to bring new vitality to the business and further its growth.”

ABOUT GROUPE GRAHAM INTERNATIONAL INC
GGI is a global leader in human machine interfaces. The company specializes in the design, engineering and manufacturing of customized electro-mechanical assemblies to deliver the optimal user interface for each specific context and environment. GGI partners with its customers at the outset of the design cycle and is recognized for its expertise in the aerospace, medical, transport, industrial and self-service kiosk sectors. For more information: www.ggi-international.com.

ABOUT NAMAKOR HOLDINGS
NAMAKOR is a long-term investment holding company that acquires promising companies, with the objective of enabling them to grow organically and by way of acquisition. The NAMAKOR team is active in the daily management of companies making up its portfolio. W Investments (industries), consisting of successful entrepreneurs, is also a major shareholder and partner of the holding company. http://namakorholdings.com/

ABOUT THE QUÉBEC MANUFACTURING FUND
The $200-million Québec Manufacturing Fund L.P., sponsored by Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, has a mandate to identify profitable Québec manufacturing companies that present attractive investment opportunities and have the potential to quickly make significant improvements to their operations. The QMF combined the financial expertise of Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec with the operational expertise of experienced managers. The Fund assists entrepreneurs in Québec’s manufacturing sector with their projects by providing financing and expertise for business development, operations management and financial management. For more information: www.fondsmanufacturier.com/en or contact our Linkedin page.

ABOUT CAISSE DE DÉPÔT ET PLACEMENT DU QUÉBEC
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at June 30, 2016, it held $254.9 billion in net assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, CDPQ invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. For more information, visit cdpq.com, follow us on Twitter @LaCDPQ or consult our Facebook or LinkedIn pages

Photo courtesy of Groupe Graham International (GGI)