Aspirant to buy logistics unit from Japan's Takara

Aspirant will pay an undisclosed amount for the company, which will be renamed to Nagasaki Transport following the acquisition, according to a release. Existing management will remain in place, and the company plans to continue operations as usual. The deal is expected to close by the beginning of January.

Takara Chouun was launched in 2006 and is part of Takara Shuzo, the conglomerate’s food and beverage branch that produces its signature sake, shochu and whisky brands. The company provides trucking and rail transportation and warehousing for a variety of goods, including fresh food and construction equipment. It also manages the Nagasaki Fish Market and Nagasaki Port.

For the year ended March 2017, Takara Chouun reported JPY6 billion ($52.7 million) in revenue, up from JPY5.88 billion the year before. Over the same period net profit grew from JPY50 million to JPY173 million.

Though the unit is profitable, Takara Shozu felt that it could perform better as an independent company. In addition, the parent plans to invest the revenue from the sale in its core food and beverage businesses.

Aspirant is investing from its AG2 Fund, which closed earlier this year with JPY10 billion in commitments. The vehicle focuses on turnaround and restructuring investments within Japan, and also participates in expansion and growth rounds. Deals from the fund include the takeover of kimono retailer Sagami last year for JPY1.8 billion.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• North Asia
• Buyouts
• Support services
• Japan
• Logistics