Oct 15 (Reuters) - RHJ International is to buy UK wealth management unit Kleinwort Benson from Commerzbank for 225 million pounds ($359.5 million), the latest in a flurry of private banking sales.
Following are some key facts about RHJ International:
* THE COMPANY:
-- RHJ International was founded in June 2004 by Timothy Collins, who also founded U.S. private equity group Ripplewood from which RHJ was spun off. The Brussels-listed investment group has invested heavily in Japan and also focused on the automotive parts sector. Other key sectors in which it has interests are media and entertainment, hospitality, consumer products and consulting.
* A DOWNTURN:
-- Besides failing last month to acquire stake in GM's Opel Unit, RHJ has lost bids for German business lender IKB, South Korea's Daewoo Electronics Corp, and U.S. washing machine and refrigerator maker Maytag in recent times.
-- Prior to buying Kleinwort, RHJ had not made an acquisition since 2006. It has also not made a profit since it listed in 2005.
* MAIN HOLDINGS:
-- ASAHI TEC CORPORATION, Japanese automotive component manufacturer - 60 percent
-- COLUMBIA MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, INC, Japanese company engaged in music production and entertainment - 25. 5 percent
-- HONSEL AG, Luxemburg-based automotive components maker - 51 percent
-- NILES CO., LTD., Japanese electronic automotive parts maker - 77 percent
-- PHOENIX RESORT K.K., Japanese resort complex - 100 percent
-- SHAKLEE GLOBAL GROUP, INC., Japanese firm making nutrition, personal care, household and air and water treatment products - 42.5 percent.
-- U-SHIN LTD., Japanese automotive component manufacturer - 20 percent
-- RHJ also owns various minority interests in public companies, but it does not identify all such interests due to confidentiality, or competitive or strategic concerns.
* PERFORMANCE (31 March 2009):
Total Assets : 357.6 billion JPY ($3.7 billion)
Revenue : 397 billion JPY ($4 billion)
Pretax Loss : 149.5 billion JPY ($1.5 billion)
Cash & Equivalents : 72. 3 billion JPY ($744 million)
Sources: Reuters, RHJ International; (Writing by Jijo Jacob, Bangalore Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by David Cutler);