Succession, LBOs and build-ups: the mid-market consolidates its platforms
78 French deals recorded this week in the CapFi database. Eight of them tell the story: founders handing over, funds consolidating fragmented markets and industrial groups securing rare know-how.
from 2 to 8 November 2026
- Succession holds the market up: Mineris, Arbois Tourisme and OéBa pass to a fund, a new manager or the employees, without a sale to a competitor.
- Build-ups remain the platform strategy: insurance brokerage, vertical software and managed IT are still fragmented markets where buyers acquire teams and clients.
- Industrial know-how changes hands: Mecasup and SECAN, two aerospace and defence manufacturers, join groups in the same trade.
- SECAN is sold by the court to Frégate Aéro: €26.2m in revenue and 179 employees at the last balance sheet.
The week in numbers
French deals recorded in the CapFi database, by type.
The 8 deals to remember
Every party cited links to its CapFi profile: accounts, directors, shareholders and subsidiaries.
Mineris by Artépolis and an investor pool
Artépolis takes control alongside Artéus, Ophiliam, Epopée, Omada and Smalt Capital. Bpifrance, Garibaldi and Naxicap exit. The founders reinvest and stay at the helm, with more than €70m of financing capacity to target €200m in revenue within five years.
Experia Conseils by Groupe Hueber Assurances (ODDO BHF)
The broker backed by ODDO BHF European MidCap adds 45 specialists and strengthens its presence in Nice and the Var. The group now has more than 400 employees.
ABC Informatique by Simpliciti (idiCo)
Simpliciti’s largest acquisition to date: the publisher of AbcCar and AbcTourisme serves more than 700 transport operators. The group passes €30m in revenue after six acquisitions in three years.
Dataouest, Fautech and Apixis by N10C Group (ISAI)
Three acquisitions in seven months lay the foundation of a national managed services platform: 50 employees, more than 1,000 SME and mid-cap clients, €40m targeted by end-2026.
Arbois Tourisme by Arcole and Jean-Baptiste Sciandra
Arcole takes a majority stake alongside the new chief executive, while the Ramousse family remains a shareholder. The Jura-based group has 200 employees, more than 150 coaches and 10 agencies.
Mecasup by TRA-C Industrie (Crédit Mutuel Equity)
TRA-C buys 100% of the Salbris machining company (35 employees, 13 machining centres) and expands its Défense Aéronautique Val de Loire division, to nearly €65m in revenue.
SECAN by Frégate Aéro (groupe Frégate)
The Nanterre economic activities court selects Frégate, already a subcontractor to Dassault Aviation like SECAN. The scope of jobs retained has yet to be specified.
OéBa Escaliers by Three long-serving employees
Alexandra Salomé, Lucien Daublanc and Mathieu Andrade take over the Fay-aux-Loges company. A classic internal succession structure: personal contributions, €105,000 in honour loans, vendor credit and bank debt.
One deal, one question: at what multiple?
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Read the observatory →All insights →Sources: statements from the parties and specialist press for the deal narratives; CapFi France database for company data (latest published accounts). Transaction amounts are not disclosed.