SSLP Closes More Than $1 Billion in Eight Financing Commitments
Since the Beginning of Third Quarter of 2011
NORWALK, Conn. & NEW YORK--October 18, 2011---The Senior Secured Loan Program ("SSLP"), jointly managed by Ares Capital Corporation and an affiliate of GE Capital, announced today that its total available capital has increased from $5.1 billion to $7.7 billion. In connection with this expansion, GE Capital and an affiliate agreed to make available to the SSLP up to approximately $6.2 billion and Ares Capital agreed to make available to the SSLP up to approximately $1.5 billion.
"We are excited about the expansion of the SSLP, and the continued strong working relationship that we have with GE Capital," commented Kipp deVeer, Senior Partner at Ares Capital. "The increased size of the SSLP reflects the competitive advantages we jointly enjoy in providing one-stop, large scale solutions for middle market sponsors and borrowers, particularly in today's marketplace."
The Senior Secured Loan Program provides one loan to replace traditional senior and mezzanine debt financing, allowing for greater speed and simplicity.
"Expansion of the SSLP and our strong relationship with Ares enables us to deliver greater simplicity of execution to our private equity sponsor customers regardless of capital markets volatility," said Stuart Aronson, President and CEO of GE Capital's Sponsor Finance business. "The SSLP is successful because our customers value proven partners with committed capital and a willingness to invest throughout all economic cycles."
Since the beginning of the third quarter of 2011, SSLP has completed eight financing transactions totaling more than $1.0 billion. With these recent transactions, the SSLP has funded more than $4.1 billion to middle-market borrowers and private equity sponsors since January 1, 2010.
Below is a brief description of two selected transactions:
Excelligence Learning Corporation / Sterling Investment Partners, L.P.
GE Capital and its affiliates along with Ares Capital served as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners in a senior secured credit facility to support the financing of Excelligence Learning Corporation by Sterling Investment Partners, L.P. Excelligence Learning Corporation is a developer, manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of educational products and supplies for child care programs, preschools, elementary schools and consumers.
Anthony, Inc. / Avista Capital Partners
GE Capital and its affiliates along with Ares Capital served as joint lead arrangers and joint bookrunners in a senior secured credit facility to support the financing of Anthony, Inc. by Avista Capital Partners. Anthony, Inc. is a manufacturer of glass doors and related products for the commercial freezer and refrigeration market.
About Senior Secured Loan Program
Senior Secured Loan Program was formed in December 2007 to invest in the senior secured debt of middle-market companies. The program is co-managed by GE Commercial Finance Investment Advisory Services LLC and Ares Capital Corporation and transactions require approval by both managers. SSLP has $7.7 billion of available capital and can hold up to $300 million in a single transaction for borrowers across a wide range of industry sectors. SSLP benefits borrowers by virtue of greater speed, simplicity and certainty, with proven partners.
About Ares Capital Corporation
Ares Capital is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company that has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., Ares Capital is a specialty finance company that provides integrated debt and equity financing solutions to U.S. middle-market companies. Ares Capital invests primarily in first- and second-lien loans and mezzanine debt, which in some cases includes an equity component. To a lesser extent, Ares Capital also makes equity investments. Ares Capital is externally managed by Ares Capital Management LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ares Management LLC, a global alternative asset manager and a Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment adviser. As of June 30, 2011, Ares Management LLC had approximately $41 billion of committed capital under management. For more information, visit www.arescapitalcorp.com.
About GE Capital
GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visit www.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (@GECapital). GE (NYSE: GE) is a diversified infrastructure, finance and media company that is taking on the world's toughest challenges. From aircraft engines and power generation to financial services, health care solutions and television programming, GE operates in more than 100 countries and employs about 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit www.ge.com.
About GE Antares Capital
GE Antares Capital is a unit of GE Capital, Sponsor Finance. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, GE Antares is a leading lender to middle market private equity sponsors. GE Capital Markets has ranked #1 in the U.S. Sponsored Middle Market Bookrunner League Tables for three of the past four years. For more information, visit www.geantares.com.
About Excelligence Learning Corporation
Excelligence Learning Corporation is a leading developer, manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of educational products, which are sold to child care programs, preschools, elementary schools, and consumers. Excelligence provides quality educational products and programs for children from infancy to 12 years of age at all ability levels. The corporation offers a broad array of products designed for classroom use, enhanced by its extensive proprietary product development program. Excelligence's mission is to help further children's education beginning at birth, and to support learning at school and at home by providing educators and parents with high quality products, services, and valuable resources. For more information, visit www.excelligence.com.
About Sterling Investment Partners, L.P.
Sterling Investment Partners, a leading Westport, CT based, private equity fund, invests in companies with significant competitive strengths and growth potential. Founded in 1991, Sterling has completed investments, strategic or add-on acquisitions, and liquidity events with an aggregate transaction value in excess of $9.0 billion, representing more than 100 transactions. Sterling maintains a broad industry focus, including professional and business services, niche manufacturing, transportation and logistics, retail/ consumer, technology-related and education businesses. For more information, visit www.sterlinglp.com.
About Anthony International
Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Sylmar, CA, Anthony is the world's largest manufacturer of specialty glass, commercial glass refrigerator and freezer doors, case lighting, and display and merchandising systems. Anthony provides customers with the most technologically advanced merchandising systems on the market, offering low-energy products to cut operating costs and help preserve natural resources. Anthony offers up to 70% energy savings by enclosing open refrigerator and freezer cases with Anthony Retrofit doors and Anthony "OptiMax2" LED lighting systems. Anthony serves the commercial refrigeration markets in North America, South America, Asia, and Europe. For more information, visit www.anthonyintl.com.
About Avista Capital Partners
Avista Capital Partners is a leading private equity firm with offices in New York, Houston, and London. Avista's strategy is to make controlling or influential minority investments in growth-oriented energy, healthcare, media, industrial and consumer businesses. Through its team of seasoned investment professionals and industry experts, Avista seeks to partner with exceptional management teams to invest in and add value to well-positioned businesses. For more information, visit www.avistacap.com.
Ned Reynolds
GE Capital
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+1 203 2295717
+1 203 8370699