European Capital Invests 30 Million Euro in CEPL

St. Peter Port, Guernsey (ots/PRNewswire) -

European Capital Limited (LSE: ECAS) ("European Capital"),
announced today that its subsidiary ECAS S.a.r.l. has invested euro
30 million (US$43 million) in Compagnie Europeenne de Prestations
Logistiques ("CEPL"), a leading European logistics provider
specialized in the outsourcing of automated multi-product order
preparation ("Detailed Picking"). The investment was led by the Paris
office of European Capital Financial Services Limited ("European
Capital Financial Services") and supports the acquisition of the
company by Arcapita Bank B.S.C.(c) and its affiliates. CEPL
management also significantly invested in the company, valued in the
euro 550 million to euro 600 million range.

"We are very excited to support CEPL, which has a unique and
recession-resistant business model in the logistics sector in
Europe," said Jean Eichenlaub, Managing Director Southern Europe,
European Capital Financial Services.

"CEPL has benefited from being a first mover in its market. The
highly successful and entrepreneurial team led by Thierry Ortmans,
CEO and founder, and Akim Lamrani, COO, already manages a network of
23 fully automated sites, all of which are equipped with a single IT
system and automated preparation lines capable of shipping a large
number of small-volume, multiple-SKU orders to multiple client
locations within 24 hours," said Tristan Parisot, Director, European
Capital Financial Services.

European Capital has invested euro 357 million (US$516 million)
year to date and euro 3.3 billion (US$4.8 billion) since inception.
European Capital has raised over euro 2.4 billion (US$3.5 billion) in
capital including euro 1.3 billion (US$1.9 billion) in debt and euro
1.1 billion (US$1.6 billion) in equity and realised euro 1.1 billion
(US$1.6 billion) from committed capital. For more information about
European Capital's portfolio, go to
http://www.EuropeanCapital.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html

"CEPL enables clients to fully outsource non-core logistics
functions including warehouses and related employees. They also
benefit from lower costs as other clients are integrated onto
optimized platform sites in order to spread fixed costs, smooth out
seasonality and enhance productivity with an improved picking success
rate," said Alexandre Bruyelle, Manager, European Capital Financial
Services.

"CEPL, which is well positioned to benefit from the increased
outsourcing trend, is one of the best assets on the French LBO
market," said Guillaume Peroz, Manager, European Capital Financial
Services. "CEPL's clients include branded-product companies like
Guerlain, and specialized distributors like Marionnaud, operating in
the perfume and cosmetics, textile, consumer electronics and sports
industries."

Founded in 1998, CEPL employs 2,200 staff in 23 sites across
France and Germany. Since 2001, sales and EBITDA grew at 27% and 30%
CAGRs, respectively. With only 20% of Western European detailed
picking sites outsourced, CEPL has a strong growth potential in
France, Germany, Benelux, Spain and Italy.

"The management of CEPL is very pleased to partner with Arcapita
and mezzanine lenders ICG and European Capital and is looking forward
to expanding the business thanks to the combined network of our three
new international partners," said Mr. Ortmans.

"Management plans to double the size of the company over the
holding period," said Manuel Barbieux, Principal, Arcapita. "We rely
on European Capital's and ICG's commitments to support the ambitious
development plan of CEPL."

ABOUT EUROPEAN CAPITAL

European Capital is a publicly traded investment company for
pan-European equity, mezzanine and senior debt investments with
current capital resources of approximately euros 2.4 billion (US$3.5
billion). It is managed by European Capital Financial Services
(Guernsey) Limited ("ECFSG"), a wholly-owned affiliate of American
Capital, Ltd.

European Capital invests in and sponsors management and employee
buyouts, invests in private equity buyouts and provides capital
directly to private and public companies headquartered predominantly
in Europe. European Capital generally invests between euros 5 million
and euros 500 million per transaction in equity, mezzanine debt and
senior debt to fund growth, acquisitions and recapitalizations.

The investment objective of European Capital is to provide
investors with dividend income and the potential for share value
appreciation by investing in debt and equity investments in private
and public companies headquartered primarily in Europe.

European Capital seeks to achieve this through pursuing the
following types of investments:

European Capital One Stop Buyouts(TM)

Through our One Stop Buyouts(TM), European Capital provides
equity, mezzanine debt and senior debt as the lead investor in the
buyout of private and public companies.

Mezzanine Direct with Sponsors

European Capital provides one stop financing of subordinated debt
and equity for buyouts sponsored by private equity firms where
European Capital is either the sole or lead mezzanine debt investor.

Syndicated Mezzanine and Senior Debt

European Capital provides mezzanine financing for buyouts
sponsored by private equity firms where European Capital is neither
the sole nor lead mezzanine or senior debt investor.

Direct Investments

European Capital provides subordinated debt and equity financing
directly to private and public companies, which is used for growth,
acquisitions or recapitalizations, and investing in structured
finance vehicles.

Companies interested in learning more about European Capital's
flexible financing should contact Nathalie Faure Beaulieu at
+44-(0)20-7539-7000 in London, Jean Eichenlaub at
+33-(0)1-40-68-06-66 in Paris, Robert von Finckenstein at
+49-(0)-69-71-71-297-0 in Frankfurt, or Luis Felipe Castellanos at
+34-91-423-27-60 in Madrid, or visit the website at
http://www.EuropeanCapital.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN CAPITAL

American Capital (Nasdaq: ACAS), with US$20 billion in capital
resources under management(1), is the only private equity fund and
the largest alternative asset management company in the S&P 500.
American Capital, both directly and through its global asset
management business, originates, underwrites and manages investments
in private equity, leveraged finance, real estate and structured
products. American Capital and its affiliates invest from US$5
million to US$800 million per company in North America and euro 5
million to euro 500 million per company in Europe. American Capital
was founded in 1986 and currently has 13 offices in the U.S., Europe
and Asia. For further information, please refer to
http://www.AmericanCapital.com

ABOUT ARCAPITA

Arcapita is a global investment bank headquartered in Bahrain
with offices in Atlanta, London and Singapore, and operates across
four lines of business: Corporate Investment, Real Estate Investment,
Asset-Based Investment and Venture Capital. Since its foundation in
1997, Arcapita has completed 73 transactions with a total value of
almost US$27 billion and has a balance sheet footing of over US$5
billion. Arcapita recently reported a net income of US$362 million
for its fiscal year 2008. Arcapita's portfolio of investments covers
numerous industries, in particular business services, which includes
logistics, retail, consumer products, energy, specialized
manufacturing and healthcare.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The
statements regarding expected results of European Capital and/or
American Capital are subject to various factors and uncertainties,
including the uncertainties associated with the timing of transaction
closings, changes in interest rates, availability of transactions,
changes in regional, national or international economic conditions,
or changes in the conditions of the industries in which European
Capital and/or American Capital has made investments.

(1) As of 30 June 2008.

Web site: http://www.EuropeanCapital.com
http://www.AmericanCapital.com

ots Originaltext: European Capital
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Tristan Parisot, Director, Alexandre Bruyelle, Manager, Guillaume
Peroz, Manager, or Marie Bal, Communications Manager, all of European
Capital Financial Services, +33-1-40-68-06-66