Founded in 1924 and a subsidiary of the US-Swiss group TE Connectivity(1) ("TE") since 2012, CARRIER KHEOPS BAC ("CKB") is a global leader in the design and manufacture of control and power interconnection systems resistant to harsh environments. Located in Allonnes, the Company is structured around two business units:
- High Voltage (HV) and Low-Voltage (LV) operations: electrical connectors and underwater mateable penetrators for the Oil & Gas sector, consisting of power connectors (High Voltage) and signal connectors (Low Voltage). These products are used to control operating equipment for underwater oil wells in water depths of 2,000m to 3,000m;
- Industrial operations: electrical connectors for the rail sector (trains, metros, trams, etc.) and sensitive sectors (nuclear, military and aeronautics), CKB's historical activity.
About the High Voltage business: since 2002, CKB has strengthened its expertise in the Oil & Gas sector with the aim of improving oil extraction conditions and thus saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions. CKB has also launched the innovative development of a range of power connectors for renewable energies (offshore wind farms and tidal turbines).
In 2019, TE was considering transferring its industrial and Low Voltage operations to other sites and implementing a social plan.
Advised by ADVISO PARTNERS, CAP INDUSTRIE KLEINDIENST (Mr Frederic KLEINDIENST, former Managing Director of CKB), initiated discussions with TE in September 2020 which led to the acquisition of the group's High Voltage operations and Allonnes site in April 2021 via a new entity, SCM ("Systèmes et Connectique du Mans"). Following the transaction, Frédéric KLEINDIENST became the majority shareholder of SCM and took the opportunity to open up its capital to key managers and all employees who had transferred to the new company.
The new shareholder manager also aims to make SCM an "Entreprise à mission" (purpose-driven company), as defined in France's Pacte Law of 2019, thereby agreeing not to pay dividends for the first few years so that profits can be reinvested to strengthen the company's equity.
SCM aims to become the leading European designer of interconnection systems for the transport and transfer of energy by 2025: renewable energies, nuclear energy, hydrogen, natural gas and oil, in particular, SCM plans to support energy suppliers with accelerating their energy transition by developing low-carbon electricity programmes.
Frédéric KLEINDIENST, shareholder manager of SCM: "I am very pleased to open a new chapter for a young industrial company almost a hundred years old. SCM's teams have always developed unique solutions for very harsh environments. We are now continuing the journey with our customers to support them in their energy transition, while at the same time transforming ourselves."
Guillaume CAPELLE, Partner at ADVISO PARTNERS: "Frédéric KLEINDIENST's project is the kind of transaction that is particularly close to our hearts at ADVISO PARTNERS: consolidating a region by strengthening an SME; supporting a shareholder manager in their entrepreneurial project; and being involved in a company's development through its energy transition (particularly in renewable energies) and social transition (entreprise à mission)."
