Fiocchi, a fifth generation family company established in 1876, is one of the leading companies worldwide in the production and sale of small-caliber ammunitions in plastic and metal with premium positioning and mainly for sports and leisure use, specifically in sectors that include all shooting competitions, hunting and, for a minor part, public and private security. With over 600 employees and revenues in excess of €180 million in 2017, Fiocchi is a privately held company owned by the Fiocchi family through the holding company Giulio Fiocchi S.p.A.. The company operates on a global scale from the historical manufacturing site in Lecco (Italy) and the factory in Springfield (Missouri). The US, where the company successfully operates since more than 35, are the world's leading market and also the main market for Fiocchi, in which it has generated over 50% of revenues in 2017. Fiocchi is globally recognised for its strong innovation capabilities and consolidated industrial know-how, that is utilized for the internal development of its own high-quality product portfolio, manufactured through a proprietary technology in all production phases with the higher value added. Thanks to a unique historical heritage and credibility achieved in over 140 years of activity, Fiocchi is recognized worldwide for its reliability and high performance, as stated by several sports achievements with over 15 Olympic titles in highly technical disciplines such as shooting skeet, trap, double trap and biathlon, as well as numerous world and national titles. The acquisition of the majority of Fiocchi by Charme III takes place alongside corporate and managerial continuity. The new holding company has been called FCC S.p.A. (Fiocchi with Charme), and is 60% owned by Charme III, a pan-European private equity fund with committed capital of €650 million and offices in Milan, London and Madrid. The remaining 40% is held by Giulio Fiocchi S.p.A., with a reinvestment driven by the requirement of the Fiocchi family to maintain a significant stake in the new group. Under a managerial standpoint, Stefano Fiocchi has been confirmed as Chairman and CEO of Fiocchi. Matteo di Montezemolo, CEO of the Charme Funds commented: "Fiocchi represents a great investment opportunity for Charme III in a global leader, operating with an excellent brand, a unique proprietary know- how and high quality products characterized by a strong content of innovation. These are the distinctive leading features that have always characterized the investment strategy of the Charme Funds and that ground the strategic and operating support we will provide to Fiocchi to achieve its ambitious international growth plan that we have shared". Luigi Sala, Chairman of the Charme Funds and of FCC S.p.A. commented: "Our investment in Fiocchi represents an industrial transaction, typical of the Charme Funds, aimed at sustaining the growth of a family owned company. Our goal is to support Fiocchi in its global expansion plan, in partnership with the family, promoting a new phase of strategic development in which we will provide the company with the resources necessary for growth and will make available our consolidated international network". Stefano Fiocchi, Chairman and CEO of Fiocchi, commented: "Thanks to the partnership with Charme III, Fiocchi expects to continue on its global development path, through a significant growth phase starting from 2018 that is based on a new industrial and investment plan also covering the historic manufacturing site of Lecco. The goal of the transaction is to further strengthen Fiocchi under a strategic, industrial and financial standpoint, in order to enhance growth and exploit the market developments envisaged in the US and internationally, with the aim to list the Company in the medium term." Michele Preda, Chairman of Giulio Fiocchi S.p.A., commented: "Together with the Fiocchi family, we are very satisfied about the partnership with Charme III, which represents a leading investment funds at a pan- European level that has already demonstrated, in its previous investments in leading Italian family owned companies, to be able to combine the achievement of clear industrial objectives with the preservation of the history and values of each company."