Seche Environnement to buy Singapore hazardous waste firm ECO for S$605 million

FRENCH industrial group Seche Environnement has agreed to buy Singapore’s ECO Industrial Environmental Engineering for around S$605 million, according to a statement by the company dated Monday (Jun 17).

The group is buying the Singaporean hazardous waste company from Beijing Capital Eco-Environment Protection Group.

Reuters reported earlier this month that the sale had attracted interested companies including global infrastructure investors such as Actis and I Squared Capital.

“ECO will provide us with a platform for significant growth in the (Asia-Pacific) region in all our businesses,” Seche Environnement’s CEO Maxime Seche said.

“This is a major operation that will accelerate our strategy of profitable growth,” he added.

ECO is the number one operator in Singapore’s hazardous waste recovery and treatment market, with a market share of around 32 per cent, Seche Environnement said.

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In 2023, ECO generated sales of around S$96 million and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of around S$41 million, the statement showed.

Citi acted as the exclusive sell-side financial advisor to Beijing Capital on the transaction, according to a separate statement by Beijing Capital.

Seche Environnement hired BNP Paribas as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins as legal advisor for this deal, its statement said. REUTERS