Last year, Ambienta invested in Italian pump maker Caprari SpA and created Wateralia, a platform for M&A consolidation in the water pump industry. The founding Caprari family has a minority stake in Wateralia. Like Caprari, Calpeda’s families will retain a stake in Wateralia, with Renzo Lorenzi serving as chairman of Calpeda.
The Calpeda transaction more than doubles Wateralia’s size, creating a group with sales of more than €220 million, EBITDA of almost €40 million, five production sites, 1,000 employees, 10,000 customers and more than 700,000 water pumps sold annually.
Founded in 1959 by Vinicio Mettifogo and headquartered in Montorso Vicentino, Italy, Calpeda’s product portfolio mainly focuses on centrifugal pumps, multistage pumps, submersible and borehole lines, as well as selfpriming and peripheral pumps. With two Italian production sites, 14 international subsidiaries and almost 500 employees, Calpeda sells its products in more than 100 countries.
“Our mission is to provide people with water on an increasingly distressed planet without wasting resources,” said Renzo Lorenzi, chairman of Calpeda. “We shared this proposal with Caprari and Ambienta, a company with sustainability imprinted in its DNA, and we created Wateralia, a group that aims to bring together Italian excellences in the field and create economic, social and environmental value. Armed with a common vision, Calpeda, Caprari and Ambienta will be able to make a difference, preserving the most precious asset we have, water.”
“Sometimes dreams do come true if you work on them relentlessly, with dedication and a long-term vision,” said Alberto Caprari, chairman of Caprari. “The Calpeda and Caprari merger is a unique combination of perfectly complementary companies that naturally share a strong brand heritage, a passion for technology and a special flair for customer service. Caprari and Calpeda have been looking at each other with respect and appreciation for decades, and now these companies can work together in perfect synergy. I like to think of this as a fundamental first step in the history of Wateralia, our industrial holding company created to better serve water for mankind.”
Federico De Angelis, CEO of Wateralia, said: “The acquisition of Calpeda is a milestone for Wateralia. Calpeda and Caprari together represent a powerful business combination: two highly complementary brands with a long history, a strong reputation and a comprehensive product offering. As a team, we are extremely excited and will do our best to unleash their full potential, leveraging the deep industry knowledge and entrepreneurial behaviour inherent in their DNA.”
Mauro Roversi, founding partner and chief investment officer of Ambienta, added: “Calpeda fits perfectly into both Ambienta’s investment portfolio and Wateralia’s strategic mission, given its focus on water as a vital natural resource, whose efficient use and distribution are constantly being challenged. Through the combination of Caprari and Calpeda within Wateralia, we will be in a leading position to further expand both through synergies and consolidation opportunities in the sector. Similarly to the Caprari family, we are extremely proud that the Mettifogo and Majolo families have decided to join Ambienta and achieve the next phase of growth and success.”
