Apax Partners, the global private equity firm, has bought 82% of shares in IFCO Systems, a Dutch logistics service provider with a market capitalisation of €117m (€137m) that has said it intends to remain listed on the Deutsche Börse.

Apax is believed to have bought up shares from the company's largest shareholders, including JP Morgan Partners, which owns 17.4%. A spokesman for IFCO Systems said the company was only aware of Apax's private purchases, which have given it a controlling stake in the company and the option to take it private, after the agreements had been signed.