EWOS Group Acquired by Equity Firms

Funds advised by Altor Equity Partners and Bain Capital, through Albain Bidco Norway AS, an indirectly owned Norwegian entity, completed the acquisition of the EWOS group of companies, the leading producer of salmonid feed worldwide, from Cermaq ASA, a public company listed on the Oslo Børs.

The acquisition was made based on an enterprise value of NOK 6.5 billion payable in cash, subject to certain closing and post-closing adjustments. Among other financing transactions effected in connection with the acquisition, Albain Bidco Norway AS issued €225 million 6.750 per cent senior secured notes due 2020 and NOK 1,810 million senior secured floating rate notes due 2020, the proceeds of which were used to finance the acquisition of EWOS.

Kirkland & Ellis International LLP acted as counsel to Altor Equity Partners, Bain Capital, and Albain Bidco Norway AS. Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as Canadian counsel with a team of Peter Castiel, Warren Silversmith and David Tardif (M&A/securities); Scott Perrin (banking), Ryan Sheahan (regulatory) and Frank Mathieu (tax).

Acting as counsel to the initial purchasers of the senior secured notes due 2020 and senior secured floating rate notes due 2020 were Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP with a team of David Mercado, Wenying Zhang, Coralie Chaufour, Lola Ogunmefun and Gemma Rajah (corporate); Canadian counsel Borden Ladner Gervais LLP with a team of Kendall Andersen, Cherie Mah (banking) and Randy Morphy (tax); and Linklaters LLP.