Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity firm, announced today that it and its Australian affiliate CHAMP Private Equity have been honored by The Australian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCAL) for their successful investment in United Malt Holdings Inc. (UMH). UMH is a world-wide producer of barley malt for distillers and brewers that the two firms acquired in 2006 for approximately US$155 million and sold at the end of 2009 for US$655 million.

“We are very pleased that AVCAL has recognized our hard work and success in transforming UMH from a commodity business to a supplier of customized malt to each of our brewer and distiller customers – a transformation that enabled us to create very significant value to our investors in just three years,” said Howard D. Morgan, co-president of Castle Harlan. “This investment is an excellent example of the effectiveness of our Castle Harlan and CHAMP partnership, as well as how new investors can work with management to redefine and grow a business.”

The AVCAL award cited the United Malt investment as the best management buyout in the range of A$100 million to A$500 million:

“UMH manufactures malt for the world’s largest brewers and distillers who use malt in the production of beer and whiskey.  UMH operates in Australia, US, Canada and the UK. UMH was acquired from ConAgra Foods and Tiger Brands in September 2006 for approximately US$155 million.  At the time of acquisition, UMH had EBITDA of US$27m. In November 2009, UMH was sold to the ASX-listed GrainCorp for $655m. At exit, UMH EBITDA had grown to US$116m, more than 300% higher than at the time of CHAMP’s and CHI’s acquisition. In US$ terms on the equity invested into UMH, CHAMP and CHI achieved a return in excess of 6x their money at an IRR of approximately 90%.”

David Pittaway, the senior managing director at Castle Harlan who worked most closely with UMH, said UMH management suggested switching to the customization model during Castle Harlan’s due diligence process. He explained that brewers, for example, need a specific kind of malt so that each beer they produce tastes the same, no matter which of their production breweries makes the beer. In a commodity model, barley processors send a general malt to each brewer, regardless of their requirements, and the brewer adjusts the recipe to attain uniformity. The switch by UMH reduced the adjustment needed, enabling it to charge a premium, Pittaway said.

"We converted the business to provide the solution and perfect product for each customer," Pittaway said, adding that the change did not depend on a large-scale capital investment in more equipment or technology. Rather, it came from a tight focus on the malting process to produce to a specification instead of maximizing volume.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America and Europe. Its team of 19 investment professionals has completed 51 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of $9.6 billion. Castle Harlan currently manages investment funds with equity commitments of $3.6 billion. The firm traces its roots to the start of the institutionalized private-equity business in the late 1960s.

Castle Harlan's current portfolio of companies, which employ more than 36,000 people, includes Baker & Taylor, the world’s largest distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers; Pretium Packaging LLC, one of the country’s leading manufacturers of custom-designed specialty plastic containers for the food, pharmaceutical, personal-care and household markets; and IDQ Holdings, Inc., the industry leader in Do-it-Yourself, branded products for servicing and repairing automotive air conditioners.

CHAMP Private Equity was formed in 2000 by Castle Harlan and Australian Mezzanine Investments Ltd. (AMIL) of Sydney. CHAMP and AMIL constitute Australia’s longest established private equity investor, and funds advised by them have made some 60 investments since 1987 in companies operating in Australia and New Zealand.

For more information, visit www.castleharlan.com.

Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity investment firm, announced today that CHAMP Private Equity, its Australian affiliate, has invested A$80 million in Centric Wealth, the leading high-end financial advisor in Australia, and acquired a 75 percent stake in the firm.

Centric, based in Sydney, has approximately A$5 billion in assets under management for clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.  Among the firm’s offerings are financial planning, risk insurance, corporate benefit, lending, accounting, business advisory and family office services.

David Jones, CHAMP managing director, hailed the transaction and said Centric Wealth “is a resilient business with strong growth prospects.”

“While the sector may be at a difficult point in the economic cycle,” Jones said, “CHAMP believes the longer term dynamics of the financial planning industry are very attractive.

“The business is well positioned in current markets, and we expect continued performance underpinned by diversified earnings, strong client retention, recurring income streams and low leverage in client portfolios.

“We look forward to working with management to ensure the future success of the business.”

CHAMP Private Equity was formed in 2000 as Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners by the founders of CHAMP’s Australian predecessor and Castle Harlan.  CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor have made more than 60 investments since 1987 in companies operating in Australia and New Zealand.

The combined worldwide funds under the management of CHAMP Private Equity and Castle Harlan exceed A$5 billion.  CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor funds have recorded an annual return on funds invested of approximately 30 percent since 1987.  CHAMP Funds have acquired and successfully exited from investments in a variety of sectors, including Austar United Communications, the satellite TV broadcaster for most of Australia; Bradken Limited, Australia’s largest foundry for large metal castings, and Penrice Limited, the only producer of soda ash in Australia.

Current CHAMP portfolio companies include International Energy Services, Manassen Foods, Healthcare Australia, Study Group International, United Malt Holdings and Blue Star Print Group Limited.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and, together with CHAMP, in Australasia.  It has completed 49 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of $9 billion.

Castle Harlan’s current portfolio companies, which employ more than 42,000 people, include Ames True Temper, a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden tools and accessories; Baker & Taylor, the leading global distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers, and Anchor Drilling Fluids USA, Inc., the nation’s largest independent provider of drilling fluids and fluid-handling services for onshore oil and gas drilling.

Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity investment company, announced today that CHAMP Private Equity, its Australian affiliate, has acquired two companies involved in the operating lease market in Australia and New Zealand.

One of the companies, Alleasing Pty Ltd, is the largest independent equipment finance business in the two countries.  It provides financing for small-ticket operating leases for corporate and government customers with a focus on information technology, communications and medical equipment. 

Alleasing currently has A$1.3 billion of funded assets for 23,000 clients.  It has offices throughout the area it serves.

The other company acquired by CHAMP, Integrated Asset Management Pty Ltd, is a boutique equipment finance business in Australia that operates in the same key sectors as Alleasing.  It has a portfolio of A$120 million in assets and more than 2,000 clients. 

CHAMP said it planned to merge Integrated Asset Management into Alleasing, enabling the combined enterprise to compete strongly in existing markets and develop new opportunities to finance operating leases.

Terms of the transaction, done by the CHAMP II Funds, were not disclosed.

The managements of the two companies also hold ownership stakes.

CHAMP Private Equity was formed in 2000 as Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners by the founders of CHAMP’s Australian predecessor and Castle Harlan.  CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor have made more than 60 investments since 1987 in companies operating in Australia and New Zealand.

The combined worldwide funds under the management of CHAMP Private Equity and Castle Harlan exceed A$5 billion.  CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor funds have recorded an annual return on funds invested of approximately 30 percent since 1987.  CHAMP Funds have acquired and successfully exited from investments in a variety of sectors, including Austar United Communications, the satellite TV broadcaster for most of Australia; Bradken Limited, Australia’s largest foundry for large metal castings, and Penrice Limited, the only producer of soda ash in Australia.

Current CHAMP portfolio companies include International Energy Services, Manassen Foods, Healthcare Australia, Study Group International, United Malt Holdings and Blue Star Print Group Limited.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and, together with CHAMP, in Australasia.  It has completed 49 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of $9 billion.

Castle Harlan’s current portfolio companies, which employ more than 42,000 people, include Ames True Temper, a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden tools and accessories; Baker & Taylor, the leading global distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers, and Anchor Drilling Fluids USA, Inc., the nation’s largest independent provider of drilling fluids and fluid-handling services for onshore oil and gas drilling. 

NEW YORK, March 12, 2008 - Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity investment firm, announced today that its Australian affiliate CHAMP Private Equity has purchased Golding Contractors Pty Ltd, a company active in the mining industry and in public infrastructure projects. The price was not disclosed.

The company, founded in 1942 by Cyril Golding, is based in Gladstone, Queensland, in northeast Australia. Total revenues in 2007 were more than A$350 million, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to approximately A$50 million.

"The Golding family is pleased that an organization like CHAMP has purchased the company," Golding said. "I believe that Golding together with CHAMP will continue to grow and maintain its enviable position in Queensland."

Cameron Buchanan, the CHAMP managing director who led the acquisition team, said Golding was "an iconic Queensland company with an exemplary industry reputation, a long-term, blue-chip client base and an outstanding sustained growth performance."

He also noted that despite the difficult credit market, the transaction shows that, "for the right deals with the right private-equity sponsor, bank funding is very much available."

Existing management, headed by Chief Executive Officer Trevor Davies, will continue to hold a significant ownership stake in the company. Davies said the company welcomed the financial and strategic support that CHAMP will provide.

He noted that the mining sector in Queensland is booming and the company has a heavy backlog of public infrastructure projects on its schedule. "Golding is well positioned for future growth," Davies said.

CHAMP Private Equity was formed in 2000 as Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners by the founders of CHAMP Private Equity's predecessor and Castle Harlan. CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor have made more than 60 investments since 1987 in companies operating in Australia and New Zealand.

The combined worldwide funds under the management of CHAMP Private Equity and Castle Harlan exceed A$5 billion. CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor funds have recorded an annual return on funds invested of approximately 30 percent since 1987. CHAMP Funds have acquired and successfully exited from investments in a variety of sectors, including Austar United Communications, the satellite TV broadcaster for most of Australia, Bradken Limited, Australia's largest foundry for large metal castings, and Penrice Limited, the only producer of soda ash in Australia.

Current CHAMP portfolio companies include: International Energy Services, Manassen Foods, Healthcare Australia, Study Group International, United Malt Holdings and Blue Star Print Group Limited.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and, together with CHAMP, in Australasia. It has completed 48 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of $9 billion.

Castle Harlan's current portfolio companies, which employ more than 42,000 people, include Ames True Temper, a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden tools and accessories; Baker & Taylor, the leading global distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers, and Perkins & Marie Callender's, Inc., which operates and franchises 618 family restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

NEW YORK, November 7, 2007 - Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity investment firm, announced today that CHAMP Private Equity, the Australian firm in which Castle Harlan has a 50 percent interest, will open an office in Singapore.

CHAMP, based in Sydney, is currently investing its A$950 million CHAMP II Buyout Fund. It is the successor to the oldest private equity operator in Australia, dating back to 1987, which became affiliated with Castle Harlan in 2000.

Howard Morgan, a Castle Harlan senior managing director and a member of the CHAMP board of directors, said the Singapore office would "significantly enhance Castle Harlan's and CHAMP's Asian expansion strategies and provide greater opportunities to support the growth of our portfolio companies in that increasingly important region.

"It will also contribute to our ability to find and complete acquisitions over a wider area of Southeast Asia."

He noted that CHAMP will be the first Australian-based private equity firm to have an office on the Asian mainland.

Morgan said Nathaniel Childres, a CHAMP managing director, will head the investment team in the Singapore office, effective January 1, 2008. Childres has been with CHAMP since the firm was founded in 2000. He had previously worked in Southeast Asia during the 1990s as an attorney and investment advisor with White & Case, the international law firm.

A CHAMP Asia Advisory Board has been named to provide support for CHAMP's and Castle Harlan's activities. Its members are:

Koh Boon Hwee, Chairman, DBS Group, the largest Singaporian bank. He was formerly the chairman of Singapore Airlines and has been a member of the CHAMP Affiliates Advisory Board in Australia since 2000.

Ian Macfarlane, former governor, Reserve Bank of Australia;

Ian Buchanan, former Asia Pacific chairman of Booz Allen Hamilton;

Bill Ferris, chairman, CHAMP Private Equity.

CHAMP Private Equity was formed in 2000 as Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners by the founders of CHAMP Private Equity's predecessor and Castle Harlan. CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor have made more than 60 investments since 1987 in companies operating in Australia and New Zealand.

The combined worldwide funds under the management of CHAMP Private Equity and Castle Harlan exceed A$5 billon. CHAMP Private Equity and its predecessor funds have recorded an annual return on funds invested of approximately 30 percent since 1987. CHAMP Funds have acquired and successfully exited from investments across a variety of sectors, in companies such as Austar United Communications, Bradken Limited and Penrice Limited.

Current CHAMP portfolio companies include: International Energy Services, Manassen Foods, Healthcare Australia, Study Group International, United Malt Holdings and Blue Star Print Group Limited.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and, together with CHAMP, in Australasia. Its team of 19 investment professionals in New York has completed 48 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of $9 billion.

Castle Harlan's current portfolio companies, which employ more than 42,000 people, include Ames True Temper, a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden tools and accessories; Baker & Taylor, the leading global distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers, and Perkins & Marie Callender's, Inc., which operates and franchises 618 family restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

NEW YORK, July 9, 2007 - Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York-based private equity firm, announced today that Blue Star Print Group, a portfolio company of Castle Harlan and its Australian affiliate CHAMP Private Equity, has acquired a major independent Australian printing company in a transaction valued at A$67.3 million.

Castle Harlan said the Blue Star purchase involved the McMillan Printing Group, which comprises McMillan Print in Sydney and Pirion Printing in Canberra. The acquisition makes Blue Star, which is based in Auckland, New Zealand, the largest multi-discipline print group in Australasia. In early June, Blue Star had bought National Capital Printing of Canberra for A$12.7 million.

Castle Harlan and CHAMP Private Equity, based in Sydney, originally acquired Blue Star in March in a transaction valued at A$338.0 million.

CHAMP Private Equity, successor to the oldest private equity fund in the region, was formed as Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners Pty Ltd in 2000. It is one of the largest private equity groups in Australasia. Castle Harlan and CHAMP Private Equity have raised the CHAMP I and CHAMP II Funds with A$1.5 billion in equity commitments for buyouts of companies based, or with material operations, in Australasia.

The CHAMP Funds have completed 13 acquisitions with a combined transaction value of more than A$2.8 billion. They have included Austar Communications, Australia's second largest subscription TV operator; Bradken Limited, a leading Australian manufacturer of steel consumables and capital equipment for the mining and railroad industries, and Penrice Limited, the only manufacturer of sodium carbonate (soda ash) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in Australasia.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and, together with CHAMP Private Equity, Australasia. Its team of 19 investment professionals in New York has completed 48 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of US$9 billion.

Castle Harlan's current portfolio companies, which employ more than 42,000 people, include Ames True Temper, a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden tools and accessories; Baker & Taylor, the leading global distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers, and Perkins & Marie Callender's, Inc., which operates and franchises 618 family restaurants in the United States and Canada.

NEW YORK, March 7, 2007 - Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York-based private equity investment firm, announced today that its Australian affiliate, CHAMP Private Equity, has acquired Blue Star Print Group Ltd., the leading printing company in New Zealand. The transaction was valued at NZ$385 million (US$267 million).

CHAMP acquired Blue Star from management, but senior managers, including Executive Chairman Tom Sturgess, will continue to run the company and hold a substantial ownership stake in the business.

Castle Harlan Australian Mezzanine Partners Pty Ltd. (CHAMP Private Equity), successor to the oldest private equity fund in the region, was formed in 2000. It is one of the largest private equity groups in Australasia. Based in Sydney, CHAMP Private Equity is adviser to the CHAMP I and CHAMP II funds, which have A$1.5 billion of equity commitments for buyouts.

The CHAMP I Funds have completed seven management buyouts with a combined transaction value in excess of A$1.2 billion. They included Austar Communications, Australia's second largest subscription TV operator; Bradken Limited, a leading Australian manufacturer of steel consumables and capital equipment for the mining and railroad industries, and Penrice Limited, the only manufacturer of sodium carbonate (soda ash) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in Southeast Asia. CHAMP is currently investing equity from the CHAMP II funds.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and, via CHAMP Private Equity, Australasia. Its team of 20 investment professionals in New York has completed 48 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of US$9 billion.

Castle Harlan's current portfolio companies, which employ more than 42,000 people, include Ames True Temper, a leading manufacturer of lawn and garden tools and accessories; Baker & Taylor, the leading global distributor of books and entertainment products to libraries and retailers, and Perkins & Marie Callender's, Inc., which operates and franchises 618 family restaurants in the United States and Canada.

NEW YORK, August 4, 2006 - Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York private equity investment firm, announced today that its Australian affiliate, CHAMP Private Equity, had agreed to acquire Study Group International, one of the world's largest private providers of educational programs for pre-college and college students from more than 120 countries.

Study Group is currently owned by DMG Information, a subsidiary of the Daily Mail Group in London. The transaction was valued at A$176.4 million.

Founded in 1994, Study Group operates through a network of colleges and teaching centers in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States to offer university degree programs, as well as college-preparatory courses and English language training. It also offers vocational training in Australia.

Last year, more than 35,000 students participated in Study Group's programs, most of them recruited by Study Group's global network of 2,300 independent agents.

CHAMP said Petersen Investments of Sydney would partner with it in the investment. Arvid Petersen, the head of Petersen Investments, was managing director of Study Group Australia from 1995 to 2004 and will become chairman of the company after the acquisition. A predecessor of CHAMP had an ownership stake in Study Group Australia in the 1990s.

"The growth in the number of international students has been and will continue to be driven by the rising wealth of the populations in developing countries, particularly China, India, Brazil and Russia," said Ben Sebel, a CHAMP director who led the firm's negotiating team. "These families more and more want their children to be educated overseas."

"No single competitor has Study Group's breadth and depth of product offerings on an international basis," Sebel added.

He noted that the company has more than 90 university partners worldwide, and admission centers in Australia, the U.K. and the United States. It also has 15 regional offices throughout Asia, Europe and South America. The company is based in London.

CHAMP, based in Sydney, represents the largest independent private equity group in Australasia. It was formed in 2000 by Australian Mezzanine Investments Ltd. and Castle Harlan, Inc.

The CHAMP I and CHAMP II Funds have approximately A$1.5 billion of equity capital. The CHAMP I Funds have completed seven management buyouts with a combined transaction value in excess of A$1.2 billion. They included Austar Communications, Australia's second largest subscription TV operator, providing satellite-delivered services to more than 500,000 subscribers in regional and rural Australia; Bradken Limited, a leading Australian manufacturer of steel consumables and capital equipment for the mining and railroad industries, and Penrice Limited, the only manufacturer of sodium carbonate (soda ash) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in Southeast Asia, supplying more than 85 percent of the soda ash and more than 90 percent of the baking soda used by Australian industry. CHAMP is currently investing equity from the CHAMP II funds.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and Australasia. Its team of 19 investment professionals in New York has completed 45 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of US$8.7 billion.

New York, July 27, 2006 - Castle Harlan, Inc., the New York-based private equity firm, announced today that a company controlled by its Australian affiliate CHAMP Private Equity has acquired two specialty transport companies, one a U.S. enterprise, in transactions with a total value of more than A$75 million.

The acquisitions were made by International Energy Services (IES), one of Australia's leading transporters of petroleum products and other dangerous materials, which CHAMP acquired in January 2005. IES has purchased:

- Beta Fluid Systems, Inc., based in Reidsville, North Carolina. It is the largest supplier of aviation refueling equipment to the U.S. military in the United States and overseas, and a leading supplier to the U.S. commercial aviation industry. The addition of the company makes IES one of the world's largest suppliers of aircraft refueling equipment. Beta, founded in 1972, was privately owned.

-Ross J. Kiernan Tipping Transport Pty Ltd., a leading specialty transport company for the mining sector, servicing major mining operations in the Mt. Isa region of North Queensland, Australia. Kiernan was also privately owned.

Howard Morgan, a Castle Harlan senior managing director who works closely with CHAMP, said the acquisitions will bring IES's annual revenues to more than A$300 million, a 65 percent increase since CHAMP acquired the company early last year.

Vin Stenta, managing director of IES, said the purchase of Beta gives IES its first presence in the United States and "will insure that we can competitively supply aviation refueling equipment and effectively service our customers in all parts of the globe, including North America."

CHAMP, based in Sydney, represents the largest independent private equity funds in Australasia. It was formed in 2000 by Australian Mezzanine Investments Ltd. and Castle Harlan.

The CHAMP I and CHAMP II Funds have approximately A$1.5 billion of equity capital. The CHAMP I Funds have completed seven management buyouts with a combined transaction value in excess of A$1.2 billion. They included Austar Communications, Australia's second largest subscription TV operator, providing satellite-delivered services to more than 500,000 subscribers in regional and rural Australia; Bradken Limited, a leading Australian manufacturer of steel consumables and capital equipment for the mining and railroad industries, and Penrice Limited, the only manufacturer of sodium carbonate (soda ash) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in Southeast Asia, supplying more than 85 percent of the soda ash and more than 90 percent of the baking soda used by Australian industry. CHAMP is currently investing equity from the CHAMP II funds.

Castle Harlan, founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in the buyout and development of middle-market companies in North America, Europe and Australasia. Its team of 17 investment professionals in New York has completed 45 acquisitions since its inception with a total value in excess of US$8.7 billion.

CHAMP Ventures, the mid-market private equity specialists of the CHAMP Group, today announced that the close of its new fund, CHAMP Ventures Investment Trust Numbers 6A and 6B (CVIT #6) oversubscribed at A$300 million.

Demand for the CVIT#6 funds greatly exceeded this amount but was capped to maintain the level of investment focus that has proven successful for previous CHAMP Ventures' funds. CHAMP Ventures was originally targeting A$250 million and this total was expanded to accommodate some of the strong demand, primarily from Australian superannuation funds.

The key target for the CVIT #6 funds will be across a range of industries in the midmarket expansion capital and buy-out segments i.e. established companies with enterprise values up to A$100 million. Some funds may also be targeted at early-stage investments in fast-growing, innovative Australian businesses.

CHAMP Ventures was established in 2001 as the successor to Australian Mezzanine Investments Pty Ltd (AMIL) and collectively since 1988 the companies have made 55 investments over five investment funds.

Past portfolio clients include Dexion Holdings (manufacturing), RAMS Home Loans (finance), Video Ezy (entertainment), Medical Images Australia (medical) and, via the AMWIN Innovation Fund, the internet start-up companies LookSmart (search) and Seek (recruitment).

Current portfolio clients include Kailis & France (food & beverage), nudie Foods (premium fruit juices), Tarocash (menswear), Mastermyne (mining services) and Amdel Holdings (laboratory testing).

Mr. Su-Ming Wong, Managing Director, CHAMP Ventures said that he anticipated CVIT #6 funds would be allocated over a similarly diverse range of industry segments with particular focus on the healthcare, mining services, food & beverage and financial services sectors.

"Irrespective of the industry, our core focus is on identifying and partnering with strong management teams and entrepreneurs who have already proven themselves but wish to capitalise fully on unrealized growth potential."

"Our experience is in identifying and capitalising on growth opportunities - whether they be organic or via acquisition. This expertise, built-up over 17 years has proven highly attractive to mid-market companies looking to realise their potential," said Mr Wong.

In recent years, CHAMP Ventures portfolio companies have included family run businesses and the company expects this trend to continue.

"Family run businesses constitute a significant proportion of successful, privately owned companies in Australia and succession planning is increasingly an issue for them. We have the flexibility and expertise to respond to their long-term planning needs, for example by taking a minority position as a pre-cursor to a complete exit and by tapping into our extensive alumni and affiliate network to assist in their development."

CHAMP Ventures anticipates that CVIT #6 will invest in 10-15 portfolio companies over a 4-5 year timeframe, with subsequent holding periods appropriate to the circumstances of the portfolio company. Divestments are expected to occur progressively from year 5 onward, with most divestment occurring by year 7 and total divestment anticipated within 10 years.