Noerr has advised the Swiss Evatec AG on the purchase of the Advanced Technologies Segment of the Oerlikon Group regarding the German aspects of the transaction.

Evatec AG’s activities include the production of plants for the manufacture of LEDs, lasers, power chips and high-performance optical, opto­electronic and semiconductor components as well as the worldwide distribution of these. In its Advanced Technologies Segment, the Oerlikon Group has developed also thin film production procedures for semiconductors and nanotechnology.

King & Wood Mallesons has advised the US listed TransDigm Group (TransDigm) on its acquisition of the international Telair Group (Telair) for a provisional purchase price of $725 million from AAR Corp (also listed in the US).

Macfarlanes has advised Exponent Private Equity (“Exponent”) on reaching an agreement to acquire Big Bus Tours, the UK-based global sightseeing bus tour operator.

Big Bus Tours is the largest operator of open-top sightseeing bus tours in the world, providing tours in sixteen cities across Europe, the US, and Asia.  The company was formed in 2011 by the merger of UK-based Big Bus Company Ltd and Paris-based Les Cars Rouges, with each company being family owned and having over 20 years of successful tour experience.

Eversheds has advised private equity-backed waste management company Impetus on the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of UK waste transfer station operator, T. Shea Limited.

Impetus, which private equity house Agilitas backed in 2013, is one of the largest waste management companies in the North East of England.

Tamedia Ltd. acquires the Ricardo-Group, which runs the auction platform ricardo.ch, vehicle platform autoricardo.ch, the classified advertisement homepage olx.ch and the online shopping center ricardoshops.ch, for CHF 240 million. The Ricardo-Group employs about 190 people in Switzerland and a development team with 30 members in France. Ricardo.ch is Switzerland's biggest online marketplace, realized total revenues of about CHF 40 million in 2014 and has 2.3 million members. The transaction is subject to Swiss Competition Commission approval.

Norton Rose Fulbright advised Delbrück-based automotive supplier paragon AG on the 100% acquisition of SphereDesign GmbH. The sellers are the founders and managing directors, most of whom will take on new roles within paragon AG.

A European infrastructure fund managed by First State Investments have signed an agreement to purchase the ferry route Helsingborg-Helsingör from Stena and Scandlines.
 
The route Helsingborg-Helsingör has been operated in a joint venture between Stena and Scandlines. First State Investment will continue the operation of the route, initially with support from Stena Line and Scandlines. The five vessels operating the route are all included in the agreement and the route will continue to be marketed under the name Scandlines Helsingborg-Helsingör.

Vinge is advising Lifco AB (publ) in connection with the acquisition of Rapid Granulator AB. Lifco acquires and develops market-leading niched operations within the three business areas dental, demolition & tools and systems solutions. Lifco has approximately 100 companies in 30 countries and in 2013, the group’s net sales amounted to more than SEK 6 billion. Rapid Granulator is a leading global manufacturer of granulators for in-plant recycling of plastic waste and in 2014, Rapid Granulator reported net sales of approximately MSEK 300.

Controlled by 21 Centrale Partners since 2013, Oberthur is a key player in the French stationery market. As a leader in the postman’s calendars market for 160 years, the company now works in the education sector on vintage and stationery products as well as corporate goodies for companies.

Tann’s brand was created in 1978 by Le Tanneur, a French manufacturer and distributor of leather goods. In 2006, Le Tanneur group sold its licence to Aliseo. The brand specialises in the school supplies market, selling primarily schoolbags.

Hamburg-based shipping company Hamburg Südamerikanische Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft KG (Hamburg Süd) has entered into an agreement to buy the container line operations of Chilean shipping line Compania Chilena de Navegación Interoceánica S.A. (CCNI), Valparaiso. The relevant contracts were signed last weekend. As part of the transaction, Hamburg Süd is also acquiring the agency business of Chilean firm Agunsa Agencias Universales S.A. (Agunsa), which is integral to the container line service.