Milestones
Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that our assignment with the Gauder Group has come to a successful conclusion in December 2007.
The Gauder Group, sales figure in the $ 80-100 million range, is a leading global manufacturer of machinery for the conductive wire & cable industry, with operations in Belgium (headquarters in Liége), France, the US, and also China where their wholly owned subsidiary completely integrates design, manufacturing and sales of world competitive machines. Until this successful LMBO, by which the key managers have acquired, through a new holding corporation, a controlling interest, the Gauder Group's majority stockholder was its founder and CEO Edgar Gauder, GEAN Overseas's client since 1993. This operation constitutes the 56th assignment implementing a strategic project involving a client of GEAN Overseas since 1972. As most of Targon-GEAN Overseas's assignment it addresses the industries of machinery, equipment, intermediate goods and performance materials. We are especially satisfied with it since it guarantees the continuity of a successful strategy by which Gauder has regularly gained market share and competitiveness.
This deal, implementing a special strategic project, was the 56th in a row involving a client of Targon-GEAN since 1972. Some of the others are:
2006 SERMAS Industrie S. A. A global Manufacturer of Machinery for Primary and Secondary Aluminum Smelters in Saint Quentin sur Isere (Grenoble, France) acquired all the Intangible Assets including Name, Products, Engineering Drawings and Archives, Work In Process and Backlog of Alu-Cut International, Inc. A Manufacturer of Machinery for Sawing and Cutting Lines for Aluminum Plates, Bars, and other Semi- Products in Light Alloys, located in Katy (Houston), Texas.
This acquisition implemented through our services positions SERMAS as the world leader and a global supplier of sawing lines for aluminum ingots, billets, plates and bars. The new entity has active references in most aluminum smelters of the world, plus in many secondary smelters. Also, it has a dominant situation in the hightech market of high precision cutting for very large light alloy plates used in the aircraft industry for wing structure, with references including the suppliers of Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed, Bombardier, etc. Alu-Cut's ex- Proprietor Robert Tilley (a British citizen and British-educated engineer with a worldwide reputation) remains CEO of the subsidiary and becomes an active member of SERMAS's managing team.
2004 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce Paulson Gaming Corporation, a global manufacturer of Gaming Supplies for Casinos in Las Vegas Nevada (previous ticker PSON on NASDAQ), has changed its name to Gaming Partners International (GPI) Corporation, now traded under ticker GPIC on NASDAQ. GPIC's shares are traded in late November around $18.00.- Paulson's lowest share price a few months before the combination was $0.60.- Targon-GEAN was instrumental in the series of mergers, stock acquisitions and asset acquisitions between October '98 and early '02. GPIC now controls over 50% of the world market of casino chips, plus a significant share of other equipments such as dices, roulette tables, playing cards, furniture, etc. GPIC is introducing on the world market the first "chip in a chip" developed by Bourgogne et Grasset: An electronic memory embedded in the casino chip allowing for real time, zero defect casino management control. The largest stockholder of GPI Co. is Holding Wilson, Targon-GEAN's client since 1980. Click Here to read a referral letter from Francois Carretté, Wilson's Chairman, qualifying Targon-GEAN's services. Please click here to read more (warning: large file) regarding the details of this move by GPIC.
2002 Targon-GEAN is proud to announce the Bourgogne et Grasset S. A. Paul-Son Gaming Corporation, Bourgogne et Grasset and The Bud Jones Company to combine. The two companies have reached a definite deal, as of April 2002. This deal will result in a combination of assets, stock, market-share, and leadership. Please read more (warning: large file) for the details.
2001 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that The Bud Jones Company, Inc., a US leader in gaming supplies in Las Vegas, Nevada, acquired the manufacturing assets for casino chip injection of The Trend Plastics Company in July 2001. Trend Plastics, located in Olathe, Kansas, is a reputable specialist of high-precision, complex injected polymer parts, supplying the industries of aerospace ancillaries, of hospital and medical supplies, of automobile components, among others. Bud Jones Co. has been a customer of Trend Plastics for decades.
2001 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce the joint venture between the Bradbury Group and Bronx (England) Mfg. Ltd in the UK to address the overseas market of steel coil processing machinery.
2000 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that Bourgogne & Grasset, a world leader in gaming supplies in Beaune, France, selling to the casino industry in more than 60 countries, acquired 100% of stock in The Bud Jones Company, Inc. on October 20, 2000. Bud Jones is a reputable gaming supplies manufacturer in Las Vegas, Nevada, addressing the US market and several overseas markets.
1999 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that The Bradbury Group (a world leader in machinery for the metal building industry in Kansas, Indiana and Oregon) acquired a controlling interest in Hayes International Ltd. in Rotorue, New Zealand in July 1999. Hayes International is a manufacturer of roll forming machinery for the metal building industry with sales in over 40 countries.
1998 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that United Water (a US subsidiary of Lyonnaise de Eaux, France) has concluded a 20 year Operations & Management Contract with the City of Atlanta, in Georgia, USA encompassing the City's Water Department in October 1998. Lyonnaise des Eaux is a world leader in Municipal Water: Investments, O&M contracts, Build-Operate-Transfer contracts, machinery & equipment, technology. Their subsidiary United Water is presently managing O&M contracts in over 30 major US cities.
1998 Targon-GEAN's longest (1981-2000) and most successful assignment was with ECL S.A., the absolute world leader in machinery for primary aluminium smelter and a subsidiary of Aluminium Péchiney. ECL is located in northern France where the tradition in the mechanical business requires the yearly celebration of the day of Saint Eloi, patrons of blacksmiths and ironworkers. ECL celebrates it with a company dinner and show gathering 1,000 employees and their families. This year, André has won the phony lottery prize, a 1938 Fenwick electrical tractor, to which he has problems sitting in..... Photo below
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1997 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that through our services, S.R.I.W. (a portfolio investment company in Belgium) has acquired 25% of equity of Gauder & Co., Ltd. (a privately help corporation headquartered in Liege, Belgium) on June 30, 1997. Gauder & Company, Ltd., is a reputable trader of industry specific machinery for the wire & cable industry with operations in the US, France, Belgium, and Singapore.
1996 Andre (by the screen) makes a presentation at a workshop on viability of a greenfield aluminium smelter in Kuwait. Participants are Targon-GEAN's client Southwire-NSA, the technology vendor and a US producer of high purity primary aluminium and a group of Kuwaiti businessmen. Photo Below
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1995 Targon-GEAN is pleased to announce that through our services Trubert Eurotherm S.A. (a privately held corporation in Chartres, France) was acquired by Watts Industries, Inc. (a publicly traded company - headquartered in North Andover, Massachusetts U.S.A.) on August 28, 1995. Watts Industries, Inc., is a world leader in industrial valves and related components. Trubert Eurotherm, S.A. is a European leader in the business of thermostatic valves for commercial and industrial uses.
1994 Wako Bussan (rare earths, exotic metals, minerals and ceramics, specialty wafers) joint venture with Epitech in France to address EU market.
1993 Engelhard Corp. (catalysts, precious metals, petroleum refining processes US):Technology transfer from Severn Trent Water (UK).
1992 SSI Corporation (Canada, mass transit washing tunnels) Acq. by Granbee Ltd (Europe, carwashes and related equipment)
1991 Acq. by Watts Industries, Inc. (industrial valves) of Société Française de Robinetterie (Safety valves for pressure gases, France).
1990 Clamary SA's (W. Europe) acq. of Canaan Industries, Inc. (US, Chemigation systems, farm equipment).
1989 Gerlach Industries (W. Europe, mining equipment, a Strafor subsidiary): JV with Telsmith (US, subs. Of Astec Industries, Inc.) in cone-grinders for quarries.
1988 Creation of Bridel USA (cheese & dairy products), subs. of Laiteries Bridel (France) through acq. of France-America, Inc. (Boston, MA) and Elmdale Cheese Factory, Inc (Elmdale, WI). During this assignment, Targon-GEAN, was responsible for supervision of a greenfield plant to manufacture soft-ripened cheese in Northern Wisconsin.
1988 Andre with FranRica Mfg Co.'s board after a board meeting. He was appointed interim COO for the turn around of this acquisition closed in 1985. The turn around was a complete success. Photo below.
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1987 Lyonnaise des Eaux: Technology agreement with DDS (Denmark) in membrane technology for water treatment.
1986 Late drinks in Kawasaki Steel's guesthouse, a fishing club in Japan on the Southern coast, between top managers of Targon-GEAN's European client, a global manufacturer of aluminum and minerals, and Kawasaki Refractories became GEAN's client in 92-94, for the assessment of Kawasaki's isotropic graphite applied to carbon anodes for alumina electrolysis. Dr. Kioji Okabe, the CEO of Kawasaki Refractories, eventually became a Targon-GEAN Associate after his retirement. Photo below.
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1986 Technology transfer agreement in water treatment between Monting (Croatia) and Bayer AG (Germany, chemicals).
1986 Participated in technology agreements between Pechiney (alumina, aluminium, ceramics, France) and Kawasaki Refractories (Japan) in advanced structural ceramics.
1986 Oiles Industry Co., Ltd (Japan, automobile exhaust components): Licensing agreement with Metex Corporation (New Jersey). This agreement remained active until 2000.
1985 BellSouth US, telecom): Acq. of / L.M. Berry (Yellow Pages publisher) in Dayton, OH.
1985 Bridge Atlantic, Inc.'s acq. of Franrica Mfg. Company (Machinery for aseptic packaging, Stockton, CA) and of Prodopak (high speed plastic packaging, NJ). André Teissier-duCros took the position of COO during the turn-around of the acquisition in 1986-1988. In 1996-1997, the two firms were divested at a price of 40 times the acquisition price.
1985 Andre welcomes in Atlanta Jean-Marie Raush, French Minister of Foreign Trade and President of the Lorraine Region, with Monique Chapelle, French Trade Commissioner. Lorraine was the first French region to open a permanent office in the Southeastern US with full time delegation to solicit US investments. Photo below.
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1984 Nippon Seiki (Japan, dashboard instruments)'s JV with Pricol (India, same industry). Since then Pricol has been the key supplier of these equipment to Maruti Automobile, the Indian licensee of Suzuki motors.
1984 Lajous Industrie SA (Peugeot Group, France): partnering in mfg. with Metex Corporation (automobile exhaust components, NJ). In 2001, this partnering is still active.
1983 Creation of Tribology India Ltd, a JV in innovative surface treatments for the automobile engine industry between TVS Group (Automobile ancillaries, India) and Hydromécanique & Frottement SA (France). 18 years later, the group employs 1,000 in France, India, Brazil, and controls the Japanese market through a licensee.
1982 SFEC.(France)/.UnionCarbide(USA)/Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique: Technology Transfer in ceramic membrane separation.
1982 General Foods/Poulain Industries: Creation of Eurocéréale S.A., JV in breakfast cereals in France1982 Aquatech India: Transfer to Tata Oil Mills of a shrimp farm project in Karnataka State (India).
1981 Initiation of our strategic mission for ECL (Aluminium Pechiney's subsidiary) today the world leader in machinery for primary aluminium smelter. The assignment lasted until 2000, at which date ECL's market value was appraised at 40 times the 1981 figure.
1981 Société Havraise des Pétroles's (France, energy-related engineering) acq. of SEIV (irradiation equipment, nuclear engineering).
1980 CILAS/ Alsthom Alcatel: development of the world's first laser endoscope. Since then, the technology has become dominant worldwide.
1979-1984 General Mills Corp.: Development in dairy products around the Sodima-Yoplait licensing agreement; market intelligence in world shrimp farming; technology intelligence in cheese, yoghurt and other dairy products; in food innovations; in aseptic packaging; in technologies for flavor production; etc.
1979 FAG SpA/Finmeccanica SpA (Italy, mechanical engineering): Diversification in fluid power components.
1978 Acq. of Ets. Dubois (Knitted metals components for automobile) by Ets. Badin & Fils (textile industry)
1978 Servier Labs. (W. Europe): Diversification in flavoring agents by acq. of Fontarome, and Wixon Spices, Inc. (WI).
1978 Technology Transfer in graphite mold casting machinery for zinc alloys to FAVI (France, castings and forgings), from Fantom Mfg. (Canada, Rant Process)
1979 Bouguet-Pau (France, beverages): Technology acq. of the Max Voisin water-based Emulsifier (Blancard, "Pastis sans Alcool").
1979 ACOME (Telephone cables): Creation of the Thermacome new venture in irradiated, reticulated polymer pipes for central heating. In 2001, this innovation holds a significant market share in European housing.
1977 Aerospatiale, France: First applications of the Flywheel Battery to energy storage in submarines.
1976 Honeywell Bull (USA, France): Viability study demonstrating feasibility of the Micropackaging process (Automated Tape Bonding for chip connection for microelectronics subassemblies).
1976 Technology Transfer of the Man-Mate master-slave handling robot from General Electric Corp. (US) to Compagnie des Signaux (CSEE, diversified electronics & systems, France).
1975 British Petroleum: Various viability studies contributing to the shutdown of the Lavera/Italprotein project (production of single cell proteins from paraffin).
1975 Rockwell Corporation (US): Acq. of Wilmott Breeden (UK) and its subs. CIM (France) to create the European leader of automobile locks, actuators, remote control systems, windshield wipers, seat racks…: Rockwell Auto-Components Europe.
1975 Valeo Group (France, automobile components) License of the V-Process (sand-vacuum foundry process for mass-produced castings such as drum brakes, gearbox casings, etc...) from Sintokogyo (Japan).
1975 Mavilor (France, diesel crankshafts) divesture of their subs. Mavilor Iberica (flat rotor low inertia DC drives) to Perrot Duval SA (conglomerate, Switzerland)
1972 Eastman Kodak (US): joint venture with Roussell-Ucclaf (France, pharmacy) to develop the Ektachem range of clinical chemistry reagents on film substrate.