Strong finance partner to spur Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary to new heights / Investment in internationalisation and expansion of special services / time:matters to become European market leader in courier, sameday and emergency logistics by 2010 Buchanan Capital Partners has taken out a majority stake in the Neu-Isenburgbased
specialist logistics company, time:matters, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo AG. The new ownership structure is designed to expedite the expansion of the logistics expert, which specialises in express and sophisticated logistics services.
Neither company has disclosed details of the transaction.
Since its spin-off from Lufthansa Cargo in 2002, time:matters GmbH has grown profitably, posting two-digit increases in yearly revenues. To finance further growth, Lufthansa sought a solid and financially strong equity partner willing to invest in the company in the framework of a buyout. After scrutinising diverse options, it decided on the medium-size company finance house and growth investor Buchanan Capital Partners, headquartered in Starnberg.
“Buchanan Capital Partners is for us the idea partner to lastingly underpin the successful organic growth of time:matters GmbH and fuel the company’s continued expansion. With this transaction, Lufthansa is entering such a close partnership with a private equity firm for the first time,” said Dr. Roland Busch, Lufthansa Cargo Executive Board Member Finance and Human Resources. Lufthansa Cargo has reinvested in a 49 per-cent stake in the logistics specialist. “We are convinced of the attractiveness of the business,“ said Dr. Busch who is retaining his seat on the advisory board of time:matters. He continued: “With the buyout, we are taking time:matters nearer its goal of becoming European market leader in courier, sameday
and emergency logistics by 2010.”
“The new ownership structure will generate a tailwind to help us spur the company further forward and realise additional potential. We are looking forward to a good future with strong partners, who are injecting not only capital but outstanding industry contacts and additional expertise. Our customers will profit from our company’s ongoing internationalisation,” observed Franz-Joseph Miller, Managing Director of time:matters, commenting on the transaction. “Since acquiring autonomy five years ago, time:matters has returned yearly revenue growth of more than 30 per cent and evolved into an established specialist for express and emergency logistics.”
For Buchanan Capital Partners, time:matters is a good example of how equity capital can be sensibly employed to fund lasting growth and, simultaneously, create addedvalue. The Starnberg finance house pursues a private equity model exclusively geared to funding the growth of medium-size companies and based on longer term partnership and cooperation.
“time:matters is an exceptionally well-positioned company with outstanding management. We are proud of concluding such a prestigous transaction within less than twelve months of setting up the Buchanan Funds,“ said a Buchanan Capital Partners spokesman, commenting on the successful buyout. Buchanan Capital Partners attaches major importance to partnership and close cooperation with Lufthansa Cargo.
All the workforce of about 45 staff will remain employed
