OpenGate Capital Completes Acquisition of Jøtul Group

European Manufacturer of Branded Stoves and Fireplaces Well-Positioned for Performance Improvements

LOS ANGELES, CA and PARIS, FRANCE – March 5, 2018 – OpenGate Capital, a global private equity firm, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Jøtul Group (“Jøtul”), a leading manufacturer of residential stoves and fireplaces, from Ratos AB (STO: RATO-B), a Swedish listed investment company.

“Historically, Jøtul suffered from the impact of high market volatility and underinvestment that made it more susceptible to fluctuating customer demand,” said Andrew Nikou, founder and CEO of OpenGate Capital. “Jøtul has a tremendous heritage, an excellent brand name, and a lot of untapped value. Today, we are focusing on that untapped potential and investing in Jøtul’s future with our integrated value creation strategy. We’re very excited with the acquisition of Jøtul and welcome the business and its employees into our portfolio.”  

Julien Lagrèze, a Partner in OpenGate Capital’s Paris office stated, “Jøtul’s leading position in the global, home comfort heating market presents significant opportunities for growth. We have been exploring add-on acquisitions of businesses that could be tucked into the Jøtul portfolio and possibly create synergies, deepen the product portfolio and expand markets. And, working with Jøtul’s management team, our operations efforts are well underway as we transition the business and roll out our full potential plan. This is an exciting investment for OpenGate and we’re looking forward to working with the Jøtul team in the months and years ahead.”

Headquartered in Fredrikstad, Norway, Jøtul was founded in 1853 and is one of the most well-known and respected brands globally in the home comfort heating industry. Jøtul products include cast iron and metal sheet stoves, inserts and fireplaces fueled by wood, gas and pellets. Products are sold under the brand names Jøtul, Scan, Atra and Ild, and are distributed in 45 countries across Europe, North America and Asia primarily through networks of exclusive and multi-brand specialty dealers.

Jøtul is the eighth acquisition through OpenGate Capital’s first institutional fund following the firm’s previous acquisitions of Power Partners, Energi Fenestration Solutions, Bois & Matériaux, Alfatherm, EverZinc, Hufcor and Mersive Technologies.

About OpenGate Capital

OpenGate Capital is a global private equity firm specializing in the acquisition and operation of businesses to create new value through operational improvements, innovation and growth. Established in 2005, OpenGate Capital is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with a European office in Paris, France. OpenGate’s professionals possess the critical skills needed to acquire, transition, operate, build and scale successful businesses. To date, OpenGate Capital, through its legacy and fund investments, has executed more than 30 acquisitions including corporate carve-outs, management buy-outs, special situations and transactions with private sellers across North America and Europe. To learn more about OpenGate, please visit www.opengatecapital.com.

About Jøtul

Jøtul manufactures cast-iron stoves and fireplaces, inserts and cassettes. Jøtul has a strong global market position through the group’s primary brands Jøtul and Scan. Manufacturing mainly takes place in Norway and Denmark, with smaller units in France and the US. The company’s products are sold worldwide through its sales subsidiaries and distributors. To learn more about Jøtul, please visit www.jotul.com.