EQT VII to acquire Lima, an Italian-based manufacturer of orthopaedic devices with a strong market position across Europe and Asia-Pacific, as well as a growing US presence

EQT VII will support the management’s strategy to grow Lima into a truly global industry innovator

EQT VII (”EQT“) has entered into an agreement to acquire Limacorporate S.p.A. (”Lima“ or the ”Company“) from Ardian, the independent private investment company, and other minority owners.

Founded in 1945 by the Lualdi family, an Italian family of entrepreneurs, Lima is an Italian-based manufacturer of orthopaedic devices, with products covering the whole spectrum of large joint and extremities reconstruction. With a particular focus on innovative technology, Lima has been a pioneer in applying additive manufacturing technology to the orthopaedic industry. Its proprietary and highly innovative Trabecular TitaniumTM technology has enabled it to become a market leader. The Company is headquartered in Udine, Italy, and has approximately 750 employees.

“We are excited to continue Lima’s success story with EQT as our new owner and strategic partner. The entire management team is convinced that EQT’s industrial approach to developing companies, as well as its global network and access to capital, will enable us to realize our vision for Lima to become a global company and an innovator at the forefront of the orthopaedic industry, providing the best products to our clients,” said Luigi Ferrari, CEO of Lima.

“EQT has followed Lima for almost ten years and we have been impressed by the Company’s growth story as well as the strength of the management team. We are now keen to support Lima in its next phase of development. Lima is well-positioned for future growth and we are convinced its growth can be accelerated by leveraging our industrial network and resources. We look forward to working with the management team to achieve the full potential of Lima,” added Michael Bauer, Partner at EQT Partners AG, Investment Advisor to EQT.

“Lima has developed significantly during our period of ownership and it was important for us to find the right partner with an industrial mindset to support the Company in the next stage of its development. EQT is the ideal partner for Lima. The strategic partnership will take the Company to a new level, with the aim becoming global market-leader in the orthopaedic industry,” added Nicolò Saidelli, Managing Director and Head of Italy at Ardian.

The transaction is subject to approval by the relevant competition authorities, and is expected to close in the first half of 2016.

Contacts:

Michael Bauer, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT, +41 44 266 68 04

Kerstin Danasten, EQT Press Contact, +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT

EQT is a leading global private equity group with approximately EUR 29 billion in raised capital. EQT has portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 17 billion and 140,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

For further information, please visit www.eqtgroup.com

About Lima

Limacorporate S.p.A. is a global medical device company providing reconstructive orthopaedic solutions to surgeons who face the challenges of improving the quality of life of their patients. Based in Italy, Lima Corporate is committed to the development of innovative products and procedures to enable surgeons to select ideal solution for every individual patient. Lima Corporate’s product range includes large joint revision and primary implants and complete extremities solutions including fixation.

About Ardian

Ardian, founded in 1996 and led by Dominique Senequier, is an independent private investment company with assets of US$50bn managed or advised in Europe, North America and Asia. The company, which is majority-owned by its employees, keeps entrepreneurship at its heart and delivers investment performance to its global investors while fuelling growth in economies across the world. Ardian’s investment process embodies three values: excellence, loyalty and entrepreneurship.

Ardian maintains a truly global network, with more than 400 employees working through twelve offices in Paris, London, Frankfurt, Milan, Madrid, Zurich, New York, San Francisco, Beijing, Singapore, Jersey and Luxembourg. The company offers its 433 investors a diversified choice of funds covering the full range of asset classes through Ardian Funds of Funds (comprising primary, early secondary and secondary activities), Ardian Private Debt, Ardian Direct Funds (comprising Ardian Mid Cap Buyout, Ardian Expansion, Ardian Growth and Ardian Co-Investment), Ardian Infrastructure, Ardian Real Estate and customized mandate solutions with Ardian Mandates.