Motorcycle and sports gear makerDainese已经改变了的手再一次,这一次在一个692美元million USD/630M Euro sale by Bahrain-based Investcorp to the Carlyle Group in the US, according to multiple sources.
It’s the second ownership change in eight years for the popular Italian gear maker, which outfits many motorcycle racers as well as millions of everyday riders around the world. The Carlyle Group is a$17 billion multi-national publicly traded corporationwith over $300 billion in “assets under management” that essentially looks to buy, operate, build—and often sell—profitable companies. Carlyle’s holdings range from a video conferencing company to solar power to a company that reduces “water and chemical usage in the denim process.” Investcorp bought control of Dainese for $130 million in 2014, so they did pretty well on the deal.
Founded in 1972 by Lino Dainese, the company has grown over the decades and acquired helmet maker AGV in 2007. They are perhaps most famous for their track riding gear and themany colorful helmets they produced for racing icon Valentino Rossi. They also make bicycling and winter sports gear, including helmets, goggles, gloves, pants and jackets. They also offer a line of wearable“D-air” airbag vests, jackets and track riding ensemblesthat were developed in-house. Dainese has about 1,000 employees, nine physical retail outlets in the U.S. and a wide online distribution network. According to Reuters, Dainese doubled their sales while under Investcorp’s control.
“We were attracted by the company’s unique brand identity, long heritage and leadership in innovation. Leveraging our global network and expertise in scaling consumer brands, we are excited to support Dainese in the next chapter of its growth journey, building upon its distinctive customer-centric ‘head-to-toe’ product offering and unmatched technical excellence,” Massimiliano Caraffa, Managing Director leading Consumer & Retail for the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team saidin a post on the Carlyle Group website. “Carlyle will aim to support Dainese’s international expansion, particularly in China and the U.S.,” according to the website post.
“In Carlyle, I am delighted that we have found a partner that understands and appreciates the core values and vision for growth of the Group,” Cristiano Silei, CEO at Dainese Group, said. “With their track record and expertise in this sector, I am confident that we have found the ideal partner to help achieve our ambitious goals for growth and further internationalization.”
While it’s always a gamble as to what a new owner will do with a company, it would seem Carlyle is intent on boosting Dainese’s market share rather than slicing up or selling the company in the short term. However, time will tell what ultimately happens with the iconic brand. Carlyle also purchased an 80 percent interest in Italian food ingredient maker Irca in 2018, and is now looking to sell the brand for $1.1 billion USD. It does not appear they have a specific soft spot for motorcycle gear so don’t be surprised if the brand has new owners again some years down the line.
