Orbia Ventures News
2 articles
growth-positive
Private equity fund seeks local partners to compete for the world leader in precision irrigation.
Fortissimo, a private equity fund, is preparing to acquire control of Netafim, a leading precision irrigation solutions manufacturer. The fund is reaching out to local institutional investors for co-investment, similar to its previous acquisition of Cellcom. Fortissimo is competing against two foreign funds and is leveraging its relationships with Kibbutz Hatzerim, which holds a 20% stake in Netafim, to strengthen its bid. The acquisition is valued between $1.2 and $1.5 billion, with Fortissimo needing to secure additional funding. Orbia, the current controlling shareholder, is under financial pressure and looking to sell Netafim. The acquisition reflects Fortissimos confidence in surpassing competitors and securing the deal.
Acquired-by
growth-negative
Mexican conglomerate hires Evercore, remaining bidders include European and Israeli funds.
Orbia, a Mexican conglomerate, has put its Israeli irrigation subsidiary, Netafim, up for sale. The sale is managed by Evercore, with three investment funds, including Fortissimo, expressing interest. Orbia acquired Netafim for $1.8 billion in 2018, but the current sale is expected to value it between $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion, reflecting Orbias financial struggles. The companys stock has dropped significantly, and it is burdened with $8.6 billion in debt. Netafim, a pioneer in drip irrigation, has faced challenges due to rising interest rates and a slowdown in sales. Despite these issues, Netafims revenues have shown signs of recovery in 2025.
AcquisitionManagement Changes
