Ardian, the European private equity firm, has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Casaforte, a leading Italian self-storage operator. The deal significantly expands Ardian's footprint in the European self-storage market, which it has targeted aggressively since launching its strategy in 2023. Casaforte operates 24 facilities nationwide, primarily concentrated in Northern Italy's key metropolitan areas like Milan, Turin, Genoa, and Bologna, with a total portfolio of approximately 80,000 square meters. The transaction marks a major step towards consolidating the fragmented sector, driven by long-term structural trends favorable to self-storage demand. Ardian's total investment in self-storage across Italy and France now exceeds €300 million, with plans to invest a further €200 million in the coming years, focusing on Spain and Germany.