07 Jun 2005
3i aids dtms growth from start-up to multi-million sale to D+S europe
With 3i''s support, dtms has grown to become the largest independent provider of telephone service numbers (0800, 0180, 0137) in the German market generating gross revenues of €200m in 2004. The sale allows D+S europe to benefit from operational synergies and dtms'' significant contribution to joint revenues of €330m and operating EBITDA of €18.5m forecast for 2006.
Building on 3i''s strong global track record and focus in the telecommunications sector, with deals such as Mobilcom, Magic4, Web.de, Buongiorno, Kiwee,the investment in dtms was the result of 3i''s strong reputation and network within the German market.
"3i saw the potential for dtms early on, investing in 1998 and subsequently throughout the telecommunications downturn of 2002. 3i has been proud to work alongside dtms'' exceptional management team to pursue a clear vision. The firm has outperformed the competition in the service telephone number business and is second only in the market to incumbent Deutsche Telekom AG" explained 3i Director Achim Lederle.
Jochen Fürbeth, DTMS board member, said: "I would advise anybody considering setting up a business to talk to 3i because they gave us exactly what we wanted. We first met them in February 1998 and the company was launched in April of that year - that shows how quickly they were able to respond to our needs."
Notes to editors
About 3i
3i is a world leader in private equity and venture capital. We focus on Buyouts, Growth Capital and Venture Capital and invest across Europe, in the United States and in Asia Pacific. Our competitive advantage comes from our international network and the strength and breadth of our relationships in business. These underpin the value that we deliver to our portfolio and to our shareholders.
In the year to March 31, 2005, 3i invested £962m, including co-investment funds. 3i''s Venture Capital business invested £144m in the year to March 31, 2005 in early stage technology companies globally across four specialist sectors: communications, software, healthcare and electronics, semiconductors and advanced technologies ("ESAT").
Underlining its success, Investor AllStars named 3i "VC Fund of the Year 2004" and EVCJ, "VC Firm Of The Year" in 2005. Some of 3i''s award-winning portfolio include Vonage, US (VOIP), Udex US (RFID), The Cloud, UK (wireless), Microsulis, Scotland (medtech), Mobile 365, France (comms), Smart Fuel Cells, Germany (energy), Fractus, Spain (antennas), Sulake Finland (gaming) with successful IPO realisations through Cambridge Silicon Radio (CSR), e2v, Bookham Technology, Novuspharma (Italy) and many others. For more information, go to: http://www.3i.com/
About dtms AG
dtms (Deutsche Telefon and Marketing Services AG) is a telecoms provider specialising in communications solutions for perfect customer services and related value added services. The provider also develops individually customised access over all network platforms (fixed network, mobile, Internet, radio) with enhanced services such as IVR, automated call distribution, paying or statistical analysis tools. With several thousand business customers, over a quarter of a million of implemented routing plans and over 60,000 active service call numbers and an ultramodern Intelligent network (I.N.) ranks dtms amongst the prominent providers at the market for telephony services in Germany and Austria.
