By Benjamin Horney ( December 4, 2017, 9:58 PM EST) -- German metering business Techem has attracted the likes of Canadian pension funds and private equity firms, with Reuters reporting on Monday that Macquarie is expected to formally launch a sale process for Techem early next year. According to the report, Caisse de depot et Placement du Quebec is teaming with Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan on a proposal and Partners Group and CVC Capital Partners are separately preparing bids. A divestiture of Techem could be worth as much as €4 billion ($4.7 billion), the report said. Rumors of an eventual Techem sale date back to September of last year. Macquarie bought the unit in 2007, after winning a yearlong hostile takeover attempt with hedge funds and private equity firms...