Riverside Strengthens Dastex Group’s Own Brand Offering Through Hydroflex Acquisition

The Riverside Company (Riverside), a global investment firm focused on the smaller end of the middle market, has announced that its affiliated European fund has signed a definitive agreement to invest in Hydroflex, a German developer and supplier of cleanroom cleaning systems for manual cleaning and disinfection. This acquisition marks the sixth add-on to Riverside’s portfolio company, Dastex Group (Dastex), a pan-European expert in cleanroom contamination control, which Riverside backed in May 2023. The transaction is expected to close in May.

Hydroflex, founded nearly 25 years ago and specializing in cleanrooms since 2009, is headquartered in Buseck, Germany. The Company develops own-branded cleanroom products such as mops (PurMop®), wipes (PurWipe®), goggles (PurGuard®) and related equipment. It predominantly serves clients in the life sciences industry, as well as laboratories, hospitals and the automotive/semiconductor end-markets. Hydroflex has an international footprint, selling its products in over 40 countries, including through sales and distribution centers in the US and South Korea, and has grown to be an innovation leader in its market space.

Karsten Langer, Riverside Europe Managing Partner, commented, “We are delighted to continue our buy-and-build program for Dastex with this latest investment – our sixth add-on in less than two years. This deal once again underscores our team’s ability to source and execute proprietary opportunities in attractive niche markets. We look forward to further building out Dastex Group’s innovation leadership on an even more international scale.”

Damien Gaudin, Partner and Head of Healthcare at Riverside Europe, who led the deal, added, “Integrating Hydroflex into the Dastex Group will further solidify Dastex's own-brand offering by adding the proprietary PurMop®, PurWipe®, and PurGuard® product ranges, enhancing our portfolio with differentiated, patented products. Hydroflex’s state-of-the-art R&D center will help accelerate product development, reinforcing Dastex’s position as a premium provider in the industry. By combining our strengths, we will expand our global footprint and enhance customer intimacy, positioning Dastex as a true one-stop-shop expert for contamination control.”

Edward and Terry R. Becker, Co-Founders and Managing Directors at Hydroflex Group, said they are excited about this milestone in the Company’s history and the possibilities that arise from the joining of Dastex and Hydroflex. “This is a union of two technology leaders in the cleanroom market with a unique vision – to bring real innovation and true added value to our customers in Europe and indeed worldwide,” said Edward Becker. “The basis for this is not only excellent service and outstanding expertise paired with in-depth market knowledge, but also a strong commitment to continuous further development.”

“Our constant driver is to provide holistic expert support for our partners who manufacture critical substances such as drugs and medical products, from consultation right through to validation and implementation of solutions, and to be present wherever our clients operate their critical environment facilities globally,” added Terry R. Becker.

“As a contamination expert, I have followed Hydroflex's development for several years. They have effectively addressed a critical gap in contamination control within high-stakes life sciences areas,” said Linda Vereycken, Chief Executive Officer of the Dastex Group. “Their innovative mops and cleaning tools have significantly contributed to the quality of work of thousands of operators engaged in cleaning operations by providing lightweight tools and helping quality managers overcome the challenges of surface contamination. The acquisition of Hydroflex is a strategic move to position us as one of Europe's leading experts in contamination control. The Hydroflex innovation team, along with our recently announced French acquisition, Conformat, will seamlessly integrate into the Global Technical Team of the Dastex Group, accelerating the development of innovative, high-quality contamination control products.”

Riverside acquired Dastex, a specialized distributor of cleanroom garments and consumables in Europe, in mid-2023, simultaneously completing its first add-on, Vita Verita, in Sweden. Continuing its buy-and-build strategy, the company added AET, a leading independent player in Norway in April 2024, and CRTM, another German distributor, in December 2024. Earlier in 2025, Dastex closed the acquisitions of pure11 and Conformat, leading distributors of cleanroom consumables in the DACH region and France, respectively. Dastex serves the resilient and growing cleanroom industry, helping customers in pharmaceuticals, life sciences, semiconductors and other high-tech industries to meet ever stricter quality and regulatory standards.

Working with Gaudin on the transaction were Riverside Europe team members Vice President Maxime Meulemeester, Senior Associate Sebastiaan Pauwels and Senior Legal Counsel Peter Parmentier.

Riverside Europe is an integral part of the Riverside’s broad global network and has been active in Europe since 1989. Riverside believes a truly global presence provides insight into local conditions, culture and business practices, making team members better business partners.