Private equity companies invested €3.1bn in Dutch companies last year, a seven year record, the Financieele Dagblad says on Wednesday. The figures come from PwC and the Dutch association of private equity firms NVP.

Last year, the total number of deals reached 386, a 16% increase on 2008. This is roughly one deal a day, with a value of €8m, the FD says.

NVP chairman Philip Houben told the paper the increase is a ‘sign of confidence in the Dutch economy’ and expects the upward trend to continue this year, partly because it is cheap to borrow.

Currently private equity firms have around €85bn invested in 1,500 different Dutch firms. Exits last year amounted to around €2bn.

Meanwhile, Dutch private equity group Egeria says it will not send a representative to next week’s parliamentary hearings into the role of venture capital in Dutch industry.

Round table

Egeria, which has €1.7bn in assets under management, told the NRC the format – a 50-minute round table session – is not sufficient for MPs to gain proper understanding of the sector and its own role.

NPM Capital, the private equity arm of the Fentener van Vlissingen family, will not take part either, citing diary issues.

Britain’s 3i, which owns the Action retail chain and Basic-Fit, and US group KKR, which owns retail group Maxeda and waste disposal company Van Gansewinkel, will attend.