Florent LAUZET
Group Partner
Siparex ETI
Member of the Executive Committee
Clayens, based in Genas (Rhône), is a large industrial group specialising in plastics processing. In 2023, Clayens had over 3900 employees spread over 25 production sites in Europe, North Africa, and North America, which sold to first-class international clients present in those regions. Driven by strong dynamics, Clayens is today among the leading actors in its field and is positioned in a large number of buoyant markets, such as electrification, energy transition, health, and mobility. In particular, it is the leader in the transformation of high-performance polymers, composites, and precision metal parts.
In 2019, Clayens, then called Sintex NP, was the European subsidiary of the Indian group Sintex. It enjoyed constant expansion with a turnover that doubled between 2010 and 2018 to reach €275 M, driven by a blend of organic and external growth. Ten acquisitions were successfully completed during that period. At the time, the company had 2 800 employees, spread over 17 sites in France, Germany, Eastern Europe, Tunisia, and Morocco, and most of its activity was carried out abroad. It is in this context that Siparex ETI took over in 2019 from the Indian group as Sintex NP’s main shareholder alongside management who invested in the company’s capital on this occasion.
In 2019, we invested as the majority shareholder in the capital of Sintex NP, since renamed Clayens. We have actively backed the group and its leader Eric Pisani in implementing a sustained external growth strategy, with the execution of 4 acquisitions, in particular Plastibell, which allowed the group to integrate 2 new factories in North America and to diversify into the health sector, and the Mexican company Plasco, which reinforced the group’s North American footprint. Over the past 4 years, Clayens has recorded significant growth in turnover, reaching €396 M in 2022, of which over 60 % was earned abroad.
In 2022, we transferred our majority shares to the North American fund One Equity Partners. As we wished to continue supporting Clayens’ growth, we took a minority shareholding during this round of funding, which also allowed management to increase its stake in the Group’s capital.
Clayens is a Siparex ETI portfolio company, discover the team in charge of the investment