European investment company Gimv has officially completed the acquisition of Alpine Hearing Protection, a global specialist in hearing protection solutions.
Gimv becomes the new majority shareholder, taking over from Vendis Capital. The transaction ranks among Gimv’s top five largest investments to date and marks the start of a new phase of accelerated growth for Alpine, focused on innovation and international expansion.
Over the past three years, Alpine has achieved strong growth, recording annual revenue increases of around 30 procent and reinforcing its position as the global market leader in non-electronic hearing protection. Alpine products are now available in more than 65 countries. The company is a long-term partner of the Indy500 and Formula 1 organizations, present at over 140 music festivals and stadium concerts annually, distributed through more than 100 concert halls and venues, and stocked in more than 15,000 retail outlets worldwide. In addition, Alpine has developed a strong online presence through its own e-commerce channels and global marketplaces.
With Gimv as a new partner, Alpine plans to accelerate its growth strategy, built on three pillars: increased investment in marketing to boost global brand awareness, continued development of technological product innovations, and ambitious international expansion, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Arthur van Keeken, CEO of Alpine Hearing Protection: "The completion of this acquisition by Gimv is a fantastic milestone for Alpine. We are proud of the strong international foundation we have built over the past years, and now it is time for the next step. Gimv’s expertise, network, and financial strength will enable us to realize our mission – protecting the hearing of as many people as possible worldwide – at an even faster pace. We will now double down on innovation and significantly expand our presence in key markets such as the US and the UK."
The investment underscores Gimv’s confidence in Alpine’s growth potential and in the growing global awareness of the importance of hearing protection. Gimv, a European private equity firm with more than 45 years of experience, invests in innovative companies across five forward-looking domains, helping them grow into market leaders with a strong focus on sustainable value creation. Gimv is listed on Euronext Brussels and is part of the Euronext BEL ESG Index.
