Private-equity finance in brief

Alterna Capital Partners L.L.C. reportedly is raising $1 billion for a private equity fund to invest in long-lived, “core capital” assets like transportation, energy and manufacturing infrastructure.

The Wilton-based company”™s founding team includes Harry Toll, Roger Miller and Eric Press, who all previously were core-capital investors with Citigroup Inc.; and James Furnivall, most recently a general partner at Canaan Partners, a venture capital firm based in Westport.

Alterna”™s $1 billion goal was first reported by LBO Wire, which cited marketing documents.

 

**

 

RFE buys into panel business

RFE Investment Partners has acquired Nudo Products Inc., a Springfield, Ill.-based maker of fiberglass panels for ceiling panels, bathroom walls and other building uses.

New Canaan-based RFE did not disclose what it paid, but Boston-based NewStar Financial Inc. indicated it provided $22 million in financing to support the deal.

RFE owns two other niche manufacturing companies: Metal Systems Inc., a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based maker of metal enclosures for electric and telecommunications equipment; and Cattron Group International, which makes remote controls for cranes and other material handling equipment.

 

**

 

Galen discards needle maker

Stamford-based Galen Partners completed its divestment of Specialized Health Product International Inc. to C.R. Bard Inc. for $68 million.

Bountiful, Utah-based SHPI sells disposable safety needles for vascular infusions and other uses, earning $2.7 million last year on $20 million in revenue.

C.R. Bard sells a range of vascular and urological products, reporting a first-quarter profit of $78 million and $584 million in revenue. The company is based in Murray Hill, N.J.