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maconda is one of the most active providers of commercial due diligence and other commercial transaction services in the German-speaking region and is also in demand for the assessment of investment opportunities in the tourism and leisure industry. In recent months, the Cologne-based consultants have dealt with this attractive and multi-layered industry on several occasions, including the European market leader for river cruises, operators of amusement parks, tourism providers, providers of hotel booking systems, manufacturers and retailers of bicycles, e-bikes and bicycle parts, and a manufacturer of electronic products primarily for fitness studios. Finally, in May, a transaction with such a fitness chain was successfully concluded. Due to its many years of experience with consumer-oriented services as well as with branch systems, maconda is a competent partner for the commercial due diligence in this interesting sector, which is characterized by increasing demand.

maconda's extensive experience in textiles & leather goods, retail and especially in niche markets has been used by various clients in recent months, in strategy projects and in transactions. Most recently in a transaction in Lower Bavaria.

2012 was a successful year for us, with numerous completed transactions in our Commercial Transaction Services business area, various business development mandates and projects for the operational preparation of company sales. Once again, 2013 is off to a promising start. Thus, the maconda team is particularly pleased to have successfully accompanied one of the few large transactions in the tourism industry. Due to its many years of experience in this segment and in consumer-oriented services and products, maconda was able to recommend itself here as a competent partner for commercial due diligence.

As one of the most active providers of Commercial Transaction Services in Germany, we can once again look back on some exciting mandates in the growing market for Business Process Outsourcing. The outsourcing of business processes - Business Process Outsourcing - is seen by more and more companies as an important way of tapping rationalization potential and conserving their own resources. This applies to customer care and marketing services as well as finance and accounting, logistics and IT. At present, business process outsourcing is most widespread in industry (approx. 40% of market volume), followed by the banking sector (approx. 17%). In many sectors, the potential is far from being exhausted: these include insurance companies and the public sector. In recent months, maconda's extensive experience has again been used by various clients, in strategy projects as well as in transactions.

We can again look back on eventful months. Highlights in our Commercial Transaction Services business area – services related to the sale of companies – included AXA Private Equity's acquisition of frostkrone, a manufacturer of frozen snacks, and Avedon Capital Partners' investment in Tesch Inkasso, a medium-sized receivables management service provider. In addition, there were some (as yet) undisclosed deals as well as projects for the operational preparation of the company sale ("exit readiness").

Mozzarella sticks, deep-fried jalapeños, chili cheese nuggets and Gouda rings are just some of the delicacies offered by Frostkrone, a manufacturer of frozen snacks based in Rietberg, Westphalia. In particular, the experience in dealing with the special opportunities and challenges in such niche markets was a decisive reason why the French-German investment holding AXA Private Equity commissioned the Cologne-based consultants with the commercial due diligence in the run-up to the planned investment in Frostkrone.