Spie submits an offer to buy Equans, a subsidiary of Engie

Spie, a multi-technical services group for businesses and communities, has announced that it is submitting an offer to acquire Equans, a subsidiary recently created by Engie with a view to splitting up its service activities.

Candidates for the acquisition of this entity have until Monday evening to declare themselves. So far, in addition to Spie, Eiffage and Bouygues in particular have expressed their interest.

Engie launched this entity at the end of June to bring out of its fold this structure grouping together the majority of its technical service activities (air conditioning, heating and ventilation, electricity, digital, mechanics, general services, etc.).

For Spie, which operates in the same sectors, this merger would create "the European champion, pure player in multi-technical services," he explains in his press release.

Supported by Bpifrance and the Clayton Dubilier & Rice fund, Spie, which does not mention an amount, provides for "a balanced financing structure, combining debt and equity", before a capital increase.

This group of 45.000 employees (6,6 billion euros in turnover in 2020) provides electrical and mechanical engineering services, particularly in energy efficiency, green mobility, communication: connection of wind or photovoltaic parks , data center equipment, public lighting ...

Equans, with 74.000 employees (26.000 in France) and 17 countries covered, represents an activity of nearly 12 billion euros, according to Engie.

"We have not yet decided whether we will sell to a strategic (group) or strategic (groups), or to a fund, or funds, or even to market the entity," said the general manager of ex-GDF Suez Catherine MacGregor, during a hearing at the National Assembly, at the end of June.

Engie, which has already sold its shares in Suez to Veolia in October 2020, wishes to refocus on energy and infrastructure (heating networks, etc.).