3i Group plc (“3i”) today announces that it will invest in Royal Sanders, a leading European private label and contract manufacturing producer of personal care products with plants in the Netherlands (Vlijmen) and in the UK (Preston). 3i is investing alongside management to drive the company’s international growth strategy. The business is being purchased from Dutch private equity firm, Egeria.
Royal Sanders’ main product categories include shampoo, bath and shower gels, body lotions and hand wash and its key geographies are the Benelux, Germany and UK. The company sells its products through private label, contract manufacturing and own brands including Van Gils, Sanicur and Odorex.
The company has demonstrated a consistent and strong track record of profitable growth over the past 10 years with 13% sales CAGR, significantly outgrowing the market. It differentiates itself through its focus on quality, its longstanding relationships with key customers and its superior operational capabilities at its state-of-the-art facilities.
Pieter de Jong, Partner at 3i Benelux, commented: “Royal Sanders has enjoyed strong organic growth in recent years and is now ready to drive consolidation in a fragmented industry. We see multiple potential buy-and-build opportunities across geographies and are very excited to be working with the management team to support them in this next phase of growth.”

Bart Hullegie, CEO of Royal Sanders, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with 3i. It has extensive experience in buy-and-build in private label, for example through its investment in European soft drinks bottler Refresco, and in growing companies internationally through its network of valuable industry experts in the consumer sector.”

The transaction is subject to customary antitrust approvals. 

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For further information, contact:

3i Group plc

Notes to editors:

About 3i Group
3i is a leading international investment manager focused on mid-market private equity and infrastructure. Its core investment markets are northern Europe and North America. For further information, please visit: www.3i.com.

About Royal Sanders
Royal Sanders, founded in 1851, is a leading European manufacturer and distributor in the personal care market, offering a range of private label, contract manufactured and branded products. The offering includes bath & shower gel, face, hair & body care, deodorants and fragrance products. The company produces a full range of private label personal care products complemented by brands such as Odorex, Sanicur, Melkmeisje, Proset, FreshUp and Van Gils. Key end-markets are the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany. Royal Sanders has its headquarters together with a production facility in Vlijmen (NL) and operates a second production facility in Preston (UK). Royal Sanders has some 350 employees and generates a turnover of around €150 million. For further information, please visit: www.royalsanders.com

Regulatory information
This transaction involved a recommendation of 3i Investments plc, advised by 3i Benelux.