Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is in the middle of an unprecedented global shopping spree, which continued yesterday after Linde, the German industrial gases group, said the buy-out firm was acquiring its forklift business Kion for €4bn ($5.1bn) alongside Goldman Sachs Capital Partners.

Armed with a fund of $16.5bn and a loyal band of lending banks, KKR is hunting for deals in every corner of the world, from flagship retailers in Australia and South Africa, to French national champions such as Vivendi.