Multiply Group to acquire a majority stake in Italy-based ISEM Packaging Group

09/10/2025 03:16 AST

Multiply Group, an Abu Dhabi-based investment holding company, on Wednesday announced that it will acquire a majority position in ISEM, a European leading packaging group, subject to regulatory approvals.

Upon completion of the transaction, Multiply Group will hold 60.8 per cent of ISEM, while Peninsula Capital and minority investors will own the remaining 39.2 per cent. This marks the start of a strategic partnership between Multiply and Peninsula, combining Multiply's platform-building playbook and patient capital approach with Peninsula's deep sector knowledge and Southern European dominance. Together, the partners will reinforce ISEM's leadership position and accelerate its global expansion, while safeguarding the company's long-term values of craftsmanship, design excellence, and client trust.

The deal represents an expansion into packaging by Multiply Group, establishing the Group's fifth consumer-focused vertical and strategically complementing its existing beauty and apparel businesses. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Bologna, Italy, ISEM Group is a highly automated leader that reinforces the 'Made in Italy' brand hallmark, globally recognised for its quality, innovation, and association with key luxury clients. Its key global clients include LVMH, Kiko, Gucci, L'Oréal, Puig, and Coty Lancaster. ISEM products include rigid boxes, folding cases, silk paper, and dust bags, with an industrial footprint comprising 11 manufacturing plants spanning more than 100,000 m².

Samia Bouazza, Group CEO and Managing Director of Multiply Group, said: "This transaction is our second in Europe this year as we continue with our global growth ambitions. With 3x revenue and 4x EBITDA growth from 2021-2024, a long-standing blue-chip client base, a highly automated industrial footprint, and strong fundamentals, we believe ISEM Group is a great fit for our portfolio. With this acquisition, alongside Peninsula Capital and the management of ISEM, we see opportunities to maximise competitive advantages, elevate value creation, and create synergies within the industry and potentially with our beauty and apparel sectors."

Borja Prado, Founding Partner of Peninsula Capital commented: "We are proud of the journey accomplished together with ISEM Packaging Group, which has become a European leader in packaging, and a partner of choice for global beauty and fashion leading brands. Since our entry, revenues have tripled through strong organic growth and targeted M&A, underscoring the strength and the distinctiveness of ISEM's platform. Confident in its future, we are pleased to reinvest in the Group through our latest flagship fund and joining forces with Multiply Group - a strategic global investor with a strong track record in scaling businesses - as the new controlling shareholder of ISEM, with whom we share an ambitious vision and firm belief in the Group's continued value creation for all stakeholders.

Francesco Pintucci, CEO of ISEM Group, commented: "I am proud to welcome Multiply Group as the new majority shareholder of ISEM Packaging Group, alongside Peninsula and the management. This important step represents full continuity with our long-term vision and growth strategy: to build the world's leading industrial group capable of supporting our customers at 360°, combining the highest standards of quality, innovation, and service with a strong ESG commitment. Multiply Group's investment will further strengthen ISEM's industrial platform and accelerate our global expansion, enabling us to serve our clients even better - with greater scale, agility, and technological excellence - while preserving the entrepreneurial DNA and human values that define our success. I sincerely thank Multiply Group and Peninsula for their trust and partnership. Together, we are entering an exciting new chapter that will make ISEM an even stronger ally to our customers worldwide."

Khaleej Times