Spotless Group SAS was a pan-European manufacturer of insect control and laundry products, based in Paris, France. In 2015, it became part of Germany's Henkel group.
Operations Spotless Group was established by AXA Private Equity (renamed Ardian in 2013) in 2005, upon AXAs acquisition of French homecare company Eau Ecarlate. The incumbent CEO of Eau Ecarlate, Pierre le Tanneur, assumed the presidency of Spotless.http://www.spotlessgroup.eu/#management Spotless.eu - Management - retrieved: July 1, 2009
In 2006, the second year of its existence, Spotless Group acquired Bologna-based homecare company Guaber and Irish shoe-care manufacturer Punch Industries. The group made further acquisitions in 2007, of sewerage disposal company Eparcyl and the Unilever brand Ballerina.http://www.spotlessgroup.eu/#history Spotlessgroup.eu - History - retrieved: July 1, 2009 In 2008, the company purchased Dylon International, the UK's leading dye producer, from the Mayborn Group. Spotless Group owns a total of 18 brands as of 2008.
In 2010, AXA Private Equity (renamed Ardian in 2013) sold its 65.6% stake in Spotless Group to British private-equity company BC Partners for a reported €600 million, according to Reuters.
In 2014,Henkel to acquire Spotless Group for 940 million euros Henkel corporate website, 4 June 2014. Retrieved: 31 May 2015. Germany's Henkel, a specialist in laundry products, offered to buy Spotless for 940 million Euros (about $1.3 billion) in cash. "By acquiring the Spotless Group, we will strengthen our market position and enter highly profitable growth segments," Henkel chief executive Kasper Rorsted told reporters. Henkel Accelerates M&A Pace With $1.3 Billion Spotless Deal, Alex Webb, Bloomberg news agency, New York, 4 June 2014. Retrieved: 31 May 2015. The deal, which was subject to approval from antitrust authorities, was completed in May 2015. Avis de projet de fusion (Notice of Merger), Spotless Group corporate website, 28 May 2015. Retrieved: 31 May 2015. The deal would slightly increase Henkel's share of the $82 billion global laundry care market to 8.7%, still well behind Procter & Gamble's 26.6% and the 14.8% market share held by Unilever, which sells Persil detergent - a Henkel brand - in some markets. Germany's Henkel expands laundry brands with $1.3 billion French deal, Victoria Bryan and Martinne Geller, Reuters news agency, 5 June 2014. Retrieved: 31 May 2015.
Subsidiaries Spotless Group had subsidiaries in 8 European Countries: Guaber, Italy Spotless Hungary, Hungary Punch Industries, Ireland Eau Ecarlate, France Spotless UK, United Kingdom Spotless Benelux, Netherlands Spotless Iberia, Spain Boston Scandinavia, Sweden
Products Spotless Group owned the brand Colour Catcher, which is the market leader in washing machine colour protection. Other Spotless Group brands include:
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