Alpine, founded in 1994 and headquartered in the Netherlands, is a leading international A-brand in passive consumer hearing protection. The company operates in more than 65 countries worldwide, benefiting from strong global omni-channel capabilities. Alpine offers an extensive product portfolio of high-quality earplugs and earmuffs, designed to meet the evolving needs of consumers worldwide. Backed by a strong management team with a proven track record, Alpine emphasizes ESG principles, evidenced by its recently acquired B-Corp status and focus on reusable products.
Since the investment from Vendis Capital in 2018, Alpine has transitioned from a founder-led organisation to a business managed by a broad and experienced team led by CEO Arthur van Keeken. The business introduced a clear strategic roadmap, driving strong sales growth across multiple targeted channels online and offline. Next to its own successful webshop, it established a robust marketplace presence in Europe and the US. Offline distribution was strengthened through focused key account management in OTC retail, while Alpine continued to build its leadership in the events and venues channel. Alpine has the most comprehensive portfolio with premium products, which it continuously innovates through new introductions, such as the recent launches of the Baby Muffy 2.0 and the Alpine Silence and Alpine Tune. Through a selective Buy & Build strategy, Alpine integrated Thunderplugs in the Netherlands and Acoufun in France.
Arthur van Keeken, CEO at Alpine, adds: “We are looking back on an outstanding collaboration with Vendis. We have grown the company sevenfold, elevated the Alpine brand, strengthened our product portfolio, and combined that with a strong omnichannel go to market strategy. At the same time, we have reinforced the organization by building a sustainable, scalable platform for future growth. We are excited about working with Gimv because we share the same ambition and vision to further accelerate our growth journey and important mission as a premium hearing protection brand.”
Patrick Franken and Jelle Assink, Partner and Principal in Gimv’s Consumer team add: “We are very excited to partner with the Alpine team and support them on their mission to shape the future of hearing protection. As the world grows louder, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of protecting their hearing. With its strong brand, an innovative product portfolio and broad international multi-channel reach, Alpine is uniquely positioned to elevate the global consumer awareness and lead the shift toward reusable hearing solutions. Alpine can count on Gimv on their growth journey, strengthening Alpine’s presence in key markets and exploring new opportunities for sustainable, long-term growth.“
Vendis Capital was advised by Houlihan Lokey (corporate finance), Florent (legal), OC&C (commercial), Deloitte (financial and tax). The transaction remains subject to the works council advisory procedure.