Completed Sales

Metaltech Precision Engineers Limited

Metaltech Precision Engineers Limited is a highly reputable service provider primarily offering subcontracted precision machining services to a variety of commercial sectors. The Company was formed as a partnership in 1976, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up lasting relationships with clients. Metaltech has experienced significant growth since its inception, with the strength of its technical expertise and machining experience ensuring the business’s sustained success for the foreseeable future.

The company’s five directors instructed KBS Corporate on the sale of their business to facilitate the retirement of some.

Metaltech proved popular, attracting 60 companies from trade and private equity from both overseas and the UK. The ultimate offer came from Unibloc Hygienic Technologies, who has developed a relationship over several years and will enable Unibloc to expand their production and operations in the UK.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Steve Alcock, advised Metaltech throughout the process.

Derbyshire Decorators Ltd

Derbyshire Decorators Ltd is a highly regarded, successful painting and decorating business. The company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation in 1985, with the strength of its workforce, products and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its region and maintain a high-value, long-standing client base.

The shareholders of Derbyshire Decorators Ltd approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

During initial discussions it became apparent that deal structure was a key requirement, alongside sourcing a suitable buyer that would realise the potential of the company.

The company attracted 12 interested parties with the majority of interest coming from UK trade with some interest from private investors. The successful offer came from Nottinghamshire-based trade buyer John Ryan Group.

Steve Alcock, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Derbyshire Decorators Ltd throughout.

MA Solutions (Lindum) Limited

MA Solutions (Lindum) Limited is a highly reputable water treatment consultancy, specialising in the design and provision of water treatment programmes including health and safety legislations for legionella control. The Company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation in 2004, with the strength of its workforce, products and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a high-value, long-standing client base.

Mark Agius, the sole shareholder of MA Solutions (Lindum) Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate further growth whilst allowing them to retire. During initial discussions, it became apparent that staff retention and the securing of future business with newly acquired clients was of high importance.

This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy towards overseas and UK trade resulting in 28 interested parties. The successful offer came from Severn Trent Services which has completed multiple acquisitions over the years, the largest of which was Dee Valley Group in 2016. The acquisition will enable Severn Trent Services to diversify its service offerings whilst also acquiring MA Solutions (Lindum) Limited’s client base.

Post-completion Mark Agius will remain with MA Solutions (Lindum) Limited to facilitate a hand-over period.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised MA Solutions (Lindum) Limited throughout.

Conquest Shipping Limited

Conquest Shipping Limited is a reputable provider of import and export services and, whilst it handles all types of commodities, primarily specialises in exporting high-volume recycled metal products. The company commenced trading in 1990, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up lasting relationships with a multitude of international clients.

The shareholders of Conquest Shipping Limited, Terence Haines and Joelle Haines, approached KBS Corporate Finance with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

Conquest Shipping Limited attracted 40 interested parties, the vast majority of whom came from UK and overseas trade and some investment interest. The ultimate offer came from Zenith International Freight Limited as part of its growth via acquisition strategy.

Tom Eatough, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised Conquest Shipping Limited throughout.

Infrastructure Gateway Limited

Infrastructure Gateway Limited (IGL) is an accredited utility connections company to housebuilders throughout Central England. A fully accredited service provider, the company boasts Multi Utility Registration Status, making it one of only a handful of companies in the UK to achieve this recognition. IGL was established in 2002 with significant water sector heritage and is highly regarded by customers and industry peers.

The shareholders of IGL, Gary and Julie Morgan are set to retire from the business with, Steven Draper, Karen Westwood, and Benjamin Brownbill remaining with the business to focus on growth opportunities and further development of the company. They approached KBS Corporate Finance with the sale of their business to enable their well-earned retirement, having built the company from the ground up over several decades into the market-leader it is today.

KBS Corporate Finance implemented a diverse research strategy generating interest from trade and investment acquirers alike. Multiple offers were received for IGL, with the successful bid coming from utilities service provider, South Staffs Water Plc, backed by Arjun Infrastructure Partners. Arjun specialises in investment across the utilities, energy, renewables and infrastructure sectors, and the acquisition will allow South Staffs Water to expand its geographic footprint and enter the industrial and commercial multi-utility field.

Steven Draper, Manging Director of IGL commented: “Following a great relationship with KBS Corporate we are delighted to join SSPlc and look forward to our future as part of the Group. We already had a strong regional client base but over the past two years recognised a need for growth and diversity whilst maintaining our core business and relationships, through KBS Corporate we have found SSPlc is the perfect fit to help us drive further growth opportunities; expanding our services nationwide and into next generation essential infrastructure markets.”

John Hunt, Corporate Finance Director at KBS Corporate Finance, commented on the deal: “It was a real pleasure to work with and support the shareholders on this transaction. The KBS team enjoy considerable expertise in the utility sector and were well-placed to identify the most likely acquirer of the company and navigate the process to a successful outcome for all concerned. Under the guidance of South Staffs Water, with the backing of Arjun and the continued commitment of Steven and Ben, we are confident that the future is bright for IGL.”

Lifting Gear and Safety Limited

Lifting Gear and Safety Limited is a highly reputable provider of specialist lifting equipment services, primarily offering hire, sale, and servicing solutions. Since the company’s inception in 2009, Lifting Gear and Safety Limited have experienced significant growth since its inception, with the strength of its dedicated workforce and outstanding reputation ensuring the business remains at the forefront of its market.

The shareholders of Lifting Gear and Safety Limited, Brian Curtin, Jim Martin, Tim Wilson and Gary Moorhouse, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business. It became clear their goal was to find a supportive new owner to enable the company to continue to grow whilst enabling some of the founding shareholders to consider and plan for retirement.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy that attracted 30 interested parties. The successful offer coming from Sweden based Axel Johnson International and will see Lifting Gear and Safety Limited join their lifting division Lifting Solutions. Axel Johnson International is currently following a growth via-acquisition strategy having previously acquired a UK competitor of Lifting Gear & Safety with a different regional presence last year. Both acquisitions see Axel Johnson International strengthen its market share and geographical coverage.

Ralf Wiberg, Lifting Solutions Managing Director commented: “At Lifting Solutions, we aim to be in the forefront in the lifting market but also to find the best sustainable solutions. We want to drive the sustainability transformation in our industry. Our vision is to set the standard for a more sustainable future, and part of that is to develop more circular business models. We believe that rental is one cornerstone in our future growth with an increased focus on sustainable customer offers. Lifting Gear and Safety is a perfect opportunity to further expand our offering within the lifting rental market in the UK.”

Tom Eatough, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Lifting Gear and Safety Limited throughout the process.

Care Management Systems Limited

Care Management Systems Limited (CMS) is a well-respected provider of care home management solutions, including its in-house developed software, CareDocs, and associated hardware and training. Predominantly operating within the care home market, the company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Jonathan Ann, the Managing Director, and Kristopher Ann, the Director of Care Management Systems approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business due to a change in personal circumstances.

Jonathan Ann said: “When Kristopher and I set about developing the CareDocs solution we didn’t envisage growing a company that would establish itself as a leading supplier to care homes in the UK. We’re delighted to hand over the reins to the CMS management team and look forward to seeing the business develop under Grafenia’s ownership.”

Gavin Cockerill, acting chief executive of Grafenia, said: “The acquisition of CMS is our third this financial year. It marks another step forwards in our transformation plan. Becoming a serial acquirer of Vertical Market Software businesses. We’re thrilled to add CMS and welcome its team to Grafenia’s growing portfolio.” Andrew Dodd, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised CMS throughout the process

Reschem Analytical Limited

Reschem Analytical Limited is a responsive, client-focused, GLP-accredited analytical laboratory, which specialises in pesticide residue analysis, conducting a wide range of regulatory studies for the registration of plant protection products for clients throughout the UK and internationally. ResChem was founded in 2014 and commenced trading, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients. The company has a respected reputation and extensive experience in the field of pesticide residue analysis covering a wide range of active ingredients and associated metabolites.

The shareholders of ResChem instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to secure and scale the business whilst building towards their retirement plans.

The company attracted 47 interested parties, with interest coming from the UK and overseas trade and private equity firms. KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to generate a competitive bidding environment with ten offers. The ultimate offer came from US-based The Smithers Group Inc, which has a global presence with sites in North America, Europe, and Asia.

Luke Rae, KBS Corporate Deal Executive advised Reschem Analytical throughout the process and explained the impact of the acquisition: “This acquisition enables Smithers to expand the scope and breadth of its global pesticide residue offering and build its field co-operators network to conduct field trails in support of crop residue operator exposure studies. The acquisition includes the ResChem Analytical Limited operations, including offices and laboratories at the headquarters in Derby, United Kingdom. ResChem has a respected reputation and extensive experience in the field of pesticide residue analysis covering a wide range of active ingredients and associated metabolites.”

Derek Brown and Gareth Watson, ResChem’s Co-Founders, and a scientific team with decades of collective expertise and experience will continue to lead ResChem as a Smithers company under the strategic direction of Dr. Sharon Swales, Managing Director, Smithers Harrogate Environmental Risk Sciences laboratory.

Derek Brown comments: “We are excited about this new chapter for ResChem. As a Smithers company, we will be able to scale the business so we can continue to provide high quality studies and support to our clients as their needs grow.

Gareth Watson adds: “ResChem has built a strong reputation in Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. We anticipate this acquisition can facilitate the expansion of our geographic footprint into other regions of the world.”

Michael Hochschwender, Chief Executive Officer, Smithers states: “ResChem Analytical is an exciting addition to Smithers because we share a steadfast commitment to a client-first culture. We believe the ResChem Analytical culture of building trusted relationships is consistent with Smithers strategy of delivering accurate data, on time, with high touch.”

Susan Shepherd, Group President comments: “Smithers appreciates the team at KBS Corporate for bringing this opportunity forward. We value our trusted partners who support Smithers M&A activities. This deal is particularly important because ResChem Analytical significantly enhances Smithers global pesticide residue offering by expanding our capacity, capabilities, expertise, and network of field co-operators, which greatly benefits our global clients in the crop protection sector.”

Eminence Transport Limited and Floryn Limited

Eminence Transport Limited is a specialist provider of general haulage and logistic solutions to clients across South East England.

The Electric Gate Shop Limited

The Electric Gate Shop Limited supplies gate automation equipment, stocking an extensive range of products, which are sold to customers throughout the UK and internationally. Operating since 2000, the company has experienced considerable growth since its inception, with its reputation for exceptional service, knowledgeable workforce and high-quality products ensuring the continued strength of the business.

Having built the business for over 22 years the shareholders of The Electric Gate Shop Limited approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business.

KBS Corporate was able to produce 55 interested parties. The ultimate offer came from Fortus Group backed by AIB Equity Capital. The acquisition forms part of the Group’s growth via acquisition strategy, which saw the Group also acquire Specialized Security Products and Red Rhino Monitoring.

Andrew Dodd, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised The Electric Gate Shop Limited throughout the process.

Computer Talk Limited

Computer Talk Limited is a highly regarded IT solution provider specialising in the education sector. The Company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation, with the strength of its service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a high-value, long-standing client base.

The shareholders of Computer Talk instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business, to generate growth under the impetus of a new owner.

The opportunity attracted 33 interested parties primarily from UK trade buyers, with some interest from overseas trade and private equity. The successful claim from Virtual IT as a bolt-on acquisition to their existing group. This marks Virtual IT’s second acquisition via KBS Corporate having acquired JSPC Computer Services in 2020.

Post-completion the shareholders stayed on as consultants.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Charles Needham advised Computer Talk Limited.

G&M Heating Utilities

G&M Heating Utilities is a well-respected plumbing and heating contractor servicing a variety of new build properties and refurbishments in the North West. Servicing both private individuals and commercial clients, the Company has established a prominent reputation and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Having built the business over the decades, the shareholders of G&M Heating Utilities, Gary Bourke and Wayne Stowell, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable them to pursue unrelated business interests.

The opportunity attracted 21 interested parties, most of the interest coming from trade with some private investors. The successful offer came from Thirdway Investment Group and will act as a bolt-on to their existing plumbing and heating operations.

Charles Needham, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised G&M Heating Utilities.

Go Media Limited

Go Media Limited, which recently rebranded as Oomph Works Ltd, is a boutique software house, offering a comprehensive range of bespoke web, app and business systems to its clients throughout the UK. The company was founded in 2007 and commenced trading, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients.

Paul Norton, the majority shareholder of Go Media, approached KBS Corporate, with the sale of their business in order to enable growth under the impetus of a new owner. During initial discussions, it became apparent that staff retention was of high importance.

The opportunity drew high levels of interest attracting 65 interested parties, with a wide spread of interest from overseas and trade buyers and investment buyers. The successful offer came from ACI Group.

Commenting on the business acquisition, Karsten Smet, Director of ACI Group, said: “With the acquisition of Oomph Works Ltd, ACI Group is developing an AI-powered real-time SaaS data solution that incorporates all aspects of both traditional and non-traditional supply chain elements, so SMEs can easily build resilience and minimise the impact of active and potential real-time disruptions.”

Charles Needham, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Go Media Limited.

The Safecell Security Group

The Safecell Security Group is a competitive and dedicated company specialising in providing a wide range of security solutions. Safecell was founded in 2001 and incorporated in 2002, quickly establishing itself within the market and building relationships with customers.

Michael Dunne and Kirsty Dunne approached KBS Corporate with the sale of Safecell to facilitate the retirement of one of the shareholders. During the initial discussions it became apparent that staff retention was highly important to the shareholders.

The opportunity produced 86 interested parties and six offers. The successful offer came from Croma Security Solutions Group Plc, a UK trade buyer. The acquisition will extend the Group’s geographic footprint and enable better service, whilst expanding existing relationships with clients that have operations in the area.

Roberto Fiorentino, chief executive of Croma, said: “Safecell is an excellent business and under Mick Dunne it has built a strong reputation in the North West security market. I am delighted Mick will be staying with the group and I look forward to working alongside him, as we build our presence further across this important region.

“As recently stated, alongside the proposed sale of our manned guarding business, Vigilant, we are re-focusing our Company on our higher margin security solutions businesses alongside establishing a national network of security centres.

“After a slower period during the pandemic, opportunities such as Safecell are emerging which is a natural fit with our objectives, and we are hopeful of completing similar earnings enhancing acquisitions in 2023.”

Luke Rae, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporae, advised The Safecell Security Group throughout.

Watermark Technologies Limited

Operating since 2003, Watermark Technologies Limited is a specialist developer and supplier of innovative document management software (DMS) to clients operating across a diverse range of sectors throughout the UK, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Watermark’s comprehensive service offering has earned it an excellent reputation in its sector and facilitated the establishment of strong relationships with several prestigious clients.

The opportunity proved popular attracting a significant number of interested parties across trade and private equity. KBS Corporate Finance was able to produce a competitive bidding environment resulting in multiple offers.

The ultimate offer came from Grafenia Plc as part of their acquisition strategy, which has seen the group experience high levels of growth.

Gavin Cockerill, acting chief executive of Grafenia, said: “The acquisition of Watermark is yet another step toward growing our software nucleus. Maximising what Grafenia is good at, selling and supporting software systems that help businesses run better.”

Tim Boggie and Stewart Spink, joint founders of Watermark, added: “We had been planning for retirement and actively seeking a new owner for the business we have built and cherished over 20 years.”

“We believe Grafenia is the perfect home to provide continuity of support and maintain long-term customer relationships developed over many years. We look forward to seeing Watermark thrive in a larger group.”

Tom Eatough, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised Watermark throughout the process.

Zeta Analytics Ltd

Zeta Analytics Ltd is an established and trusted provider of independent testing for licensed human, veterinary and medical products, working with prestigious, multinational clients in the pharmaceutical sector. The Company has experienced considerable growth since its inception, with its reputation for providing exceptional service, a knowledgeable workforce and high-quality solutions ensuring its continued strength. Zeta Analytics operates internationally, working with several blue-chip pharmaceutical companies and benefitting from a high volume of repeat custom.

The opportunity attracted 64 interested parties predominately from UK trade. These high levels of interest produced four offers.

The successful offer came from Phenna Group, which previously acquired The IASME Consortium Ltd via KBS Corporate Finance in September 2021.

Mayur Gohil, MD of Zeta Analytical commented, “I am very excited for Zeta Analytical to join Phenna Group at an important time in my company’s history. Our business has developed over many years, underpinned by strong family values, and so selecting the right partner who appreciated and understood our operating model was important. Phenna and Zeta have a like-minded philosophy and that was key in my decision-making. Since my first call with Paul and the Phenna Team, they have been easy to deal with, acting with integrity throughout. I believe the business is in great hands for the future ambitions we have. Zeta shares Phenna’s value of trust and allowing Zeta to operate with a high level of autonomy”.

Paul Barry, Group CEO of Phenna Group said, “I am pleased and excited to welcome Mayur and the wider Zeta team to Phenna Group. Zeta is an excellent and experienced team and from our first meeting with Mayur, I was convinced they would be a great fit within our Group. Adding additional services and capacity to our Health Sciences Division has been a key strategic objective for the Group. I very much look forward to working with Mayur and his team to help deliver their ambitious growth plans.”

Tom Eatough, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised Zeta Analytics throughout the process.

Fix n Fit Tyres Limited

Fix n Fit Tyres Limited is a highly regarded supplier of heavy plant tyres, as well as offering a selection of tyre management services to clients throughout the North West. The company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation in 2009, with the strength of its workforce, products and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a strong, long-standing client base.

Having built up the business over several years, Stephen Hart and Kelly Hart, the shareholders of Fix n Fit Tyres Limited approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to help them realise their retirement plans.

During initial discussions, it became apparent that staff retention was of utmost importance to the shareholders. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy towards a buyer who could provide further growth whilst maintaining the current staff.

The opportunity attracted interest predominately from UK trade buyers.  Literacy Capital Plc produced the successful offer. The synergistic acquisition will enable Literacy to expand using a national network whilst increasing Fix n Fit’s profitability. Post-completion all staff will be retained which will enable the company to cut lead times and provide a greater geographical presence.

Luke Rae Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised Fix n Fit Tyres Limited throughout the process.

Bourne End & Henley Security Systems  

Bourne End & Henley Security Systems is a highly trusted fire and security systems installation and maintenance engineering company operating throughout Thames Valley, South East England. The comprehensive range of services offered by the company has earned it an excellent reputation in its sector and facilitated strong relationships with a number of customers.

The shareholder of Bourne End & Henley Security Systems, Roger Elam, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

During initial discussions, it became apparent that realising the capital generated whilst enabling staff retention was highly important. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy towards domestic trade.

This proved highly successful and resulted in the company attracting 37 interested parties with the successful offer coming from a UK trade buyer, New Path Fire and Security. The company is currently following a build-and-buy strategy having recently completed eight other acquisitions since 2021. The acquisition of Bourne End & Henley Security Systems will also enable the expansion of New Path Fire and Security’s geographic footprint.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Bourne End & Henley Security Systems throughout.

Post completion Roger Elam will remain with Bourne End & Henley Security Systems for a handover period.

Wharncliffe Business Systems

Wharncliffe Business Systems is a well-established provider of Sage 200 systems for SMEs with supporting IT solutions, CRM systems and software support for national clients, specialising in Sage solutions tailored to a wide range of clients’ individual requirements. The Company is particularly prominent within the flooring and textiles industries, with its Sage-based in-house developed Realitex200 system providing dedicated solutions for companies in this market and facilitating the continued smooth running of their operations.

Having built up the business over the course of 41 years, the shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business as part of their retirement plans.

Wharncliffe Business Systems attracted impressively high levels of interest totalling 135 interested parties, with the vast majority coming from UK trade with some private equity interest. KBS Corporate was able to use these high levels of interest to generate several offers. Innov8 Technology were the eventual buyer of choice, this acquisition forming part of their diversification plans. The acquisition of Wharncliffe enables the company to strengthen its presence in the North of England.

Carl Maher, Managing Director of Innov8, commented: “This is the latest fantastic addition to the Innov8 Group that not only increases our presence in the Sage and Cloud spaces, but adds another important vertical solution to our already exciting InnRange portfolio.”

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised Wharncliffe Business Systems throughout the process, and commented “This has been a long journey incorporating some highly unusual events, but from a very early stage, it was clear that there was a strong commercial fit between Innov8 and Wharncliffe.  More importantly, there were shared values and a strong personal affinity between the parties, which I’m sure is the primary reason why this deal has made it over the line.   I feel confident that Innov8 will be able to build on the excellent work of the Exley family over several decades, and that the business will continue to go from strength to strength.”

DTE advised Innov8, while legals were provided by Gateley PLC on behalf of the vendors, and Gorvins on behalf of the buyers..

PIS (Ireland) Limited

PIS (Ireland) Limited is a fuel installation company catering to petrol forecourts and oil depots across Ireland. The company was founded in 2012, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients. PIS (Ireland) has developed strong relationships with several blue-chip organisations, some of which have been in place for over 15 years.

The opportunity attracted 17 interested parties, with most of the interest coming from trade. The successful offer came from LCM Environmental Services Limited which acquired South Midland Installations earlier this year.

Colin Doyle, general manager at PIS Ireland, commented: “We are thrilled to become a part of the LCM Group. With our combined in-house capabilities, extensive fleets and trained experts, LCM and PIS complement each other on all levels.

“Over the years that followed PIS Ireland’s foundation in 2012, the company has established a prominent reputation within its sector and has formed strong relationships with a multitude of clients across the UK. As such, it is now in an excellent position from which to achieve considerable further expansion alongside LCM.”

Richard Wallace, chief executive at LCM Environmental, commented: “It has been a long-term goal of LCM Environmental to acquire an Irish base and expand overseas. We are happy to announce that this is now a reality, and we look forward to integrating PIS (Ireland) capabilities within the company.

“The start of the LCM Group marks a new beginning for us, as a business – we are more determined than ever to keep growing within the industry and reach new heights in the coming months.”

George Barnes, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised PIS (Ireland).

Vivup

Vivup provides employee health and wellbeing benefits to over 550 public and private sector organisations, supporting more than 1.5 million employees mentally, physically, and financially through bespoke benefits programmes. The company’s proprietary Fintech software enables transactional flows between employee, employer and contracted partners providing significant revenue from Estore sales (with products ranging from electronics through to holidays), SaaS annual income from the Reward App, FCA regulated insurance products and Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) charges per employee.

Having built the company over several years Jane Davis and Simon Moyle, the shareholders of Vivup, approached KBS Corporate Finance with the aim of accelerating further growth.

The opportunity attracted impressive levels of interest, the majority of whom came from UK trade buyers and private equity. KBS Corporate Finance was able to generate a competitive bidding environment with the ultimate offer coming in the form of an MBO backed by Omni Partners LLP. The London Based private equity firm has an eclectic portfolio including companies in the construction and building, energy, and recruitment sectors.

Simon Moyle, CEO of Vivup commented: “Times are changing and now more than ever employers are focused on the welfare of their staff and fostering a work environment which engages and empowers their people. We are committed to providing world-class employee health and wellbeing benefits and this MBO will allow us to further enhance our offering and continue to transform work cultures through impactful benefit programmes.”

He was delighted with the work that KBS did saying “Thank you Julian and KBS for all your hard work and making sure we had a bulletproof agreement – we appreciate everything you have done for us.”

Charles Gallagher-Powell, Head of Private Equity at Omni commented: “We are excited to be supporting Simon and his team at Vivup in continuing the exceptional growth they have achieved in recent years. Employee engagement and wellbeing are more important than ever and Vivup is leading the way in providing innovative offerings in support.”

Steven Clark, Omni Founder says: “Our investment in Vivup continues our theme of backing best-in-class management teams to further execute on their vision. We look forward to partnering with the Vivup team as they continue with their mission of revolutionising employee benefits.”

Julian Coy, Managing Director of KBS Corporate Finance, and Anne Pritchard, Corporate Finance Executive, advised Vivup throughout the process. Legal advice was provided by TLT LLP.

Julian Coy commented: “We were delighted to work with the Vivup team to firstly gain a deep understanding of the B2B2C business model and then introduce a wide range of UK and International Private Equity and trade buyers to the shareholders and management, so they had multiple options to choose from. Vivup’s disruptive market approach and leading software mean that they dominate the Public Sector market at a time when staff recruitment, retention and motivation are critical. The investment by Omni Partners should allow them to continue to innovate, widen the service offering and accelerate their penetration of the wider market.”

Storetec

Digital storage specialist Storetec has received an investment from Bridges Fund Management via its Sustainable Growth Funds, which will assist in the company’s growth plans.

Storetec’s specialist equipment and software enables the full digitisation of a broad spectrum of physical records, creating a fully interactive and indexable digital copy of the original source documents, capitalising on increasing market demand for remote access to and the futureproofing of document libraries and archives. Leveraging a wealth of expertise and continued significant investment in state-of-the-art technology, Storetec has developed an exceptional and comprehensive range of complementary services that generate considerable cross-selling opportunities through a lucrative recurring revenue model and significant repeat business from an enviable blue-chip client base.

Neil Robson, the CEO of Storetec, instructed KBS Corporate Finance to seek investment into their business to accelerate business growth and performance.

The ultimate offer was produced by Bridges Fund Management via its Sustainable Growth Funds. Bridges Fund Management was founded in 2002 and has invested in over 160 companies over the years. The investment will promote further growth of Storetec enabling the company to support more clients across the UK and further afield.

Neil Robson, founder and CEO at Storetec, said: “We’re excited to be partnering with Bridges at this critical stage of the business’s growth journey. We wanted an investor who understood our market, shared our values, and had a strong track record of helping businesses like ours to harness their growth and impact potential. Bridges fitted the bill perfectly.”

Simon Braham, partner at Bridges, commented: “In the last few years, the digitisation trend has accelerated rapidly. Protecting sensitive corporate and personal information has to be a priority for every organisation. We identified Storetec as a best-in-class operator in this sector, and we believe it has a really compelling market opportunity. We’re looking forward to partnering with Neil and the team to help accelerate Storetec’s growth and establish it as an ESG champion in the sector – drawing on our extensive experience of impact-driven value creation.”

David Gardner, Director and Anne Pritchard, Corporate Finance Executive, at KBS Corporate Finance advised Storetec throughout the process. Legal advice was provided by TLT to Storetec.

Review Display Systems

Review Display Systems, IQRF UK Limited and GSRG Limited design manufacture and supply electronic display, embedded and IoT systems, operating internationally from South East England. RDS commenced trading in 1982, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up lasting relationships with clients. As the Group continued to expand, it cultivated an exceptional reputation across multiple sectors and achieved multiple accreditations, demonstrating its high standard of service.

Having built the business for several decades the shareholders of RDS, Russell Gilbert and Graham Smith, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business. Their goal was to realise some of their value after years of effort in building the business and seek investment to drive it to the next stage of growth.

During initial discussions, it became apparent that the protection of staff and the health of the business moving forwards, was important to the shareholders.

The Group drew interest from UK and overseas trade and private equity buyers, attracting 106 interested parties in total. KBS Corporate was able to produce a competitive bidding environment with Volex PLC producing the successful offer.

Volex PLC has established itself as a leader in integrated manufacturing services and power products, through a combination of organic and acquisitive growth. The acquisition of RDS brings both new and complementary customers to Volex. RDS will be integrated within GTK UK and will retain its existing brand identity and management structure.

John Morath, Managing Director of GTK UK, stated, “The integration of Review Display Systems will strengthen our combined design and engineering capabilities, increase our share in the display marketplace and advance our position in the IoT solutions space. Both our organisations pride ourselves on our engineering expertise, ability to provide custom solutions for OEMs and excellent customer service.”

Russell Gilbert, Managing Director of Review Display Systems, said, “GTK and Review Display Systems have a remarkably similar approach to business. We are both strongly engineering led organisations. Becoming part of GTK and the Volex group provides a sound financial platform to accelerate market growth.”

Joe Norris, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised RDS throughout the process.

Chillibyte

The company is a digital marketing specialist, offering a comprehensive range of services to clients throughout the UK and the USA. Predominantly operating within the digital marketing sector, Chillibyte has established a prominent position within its industry and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Having built the business into an impressive international entity, the shareholders of Chillibyte, instructed KBS Corporate Finance with the sale of their business to achieve a reward for their success to date, and enable further growth under new ownership.

The opportunity attracted 129 interested parties, most of the interest coming from trade with some private investors and private equity interest. The successful offer came from Broadlight Group, as part of their current growth via acquisition strategy having previously acquired Generate UK.

Both key shareholders will remain with the business following the acquisition.

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised Chillibyte.

Climb Online

KBS Corporate Finance advised on the acquisition of Climb Online by xDNA Group. Founded in 2015 by Mark Wright, the company has focused on its niche and established itself as a trusted and reliable provider of quality digital marketing services to clients across several sectors. The shareholding of the Company is held 50:50 between Wrighton Investments Ltd and Amsvest Limited. Wrighton Investments is the investment vehicle of Mark Wright and Amsvest is the investment vehicle of Lord Alan Sugar. The company was formed as a collaboration following the airing of the 2014 BBC TV business programme, ‘The Apprentice’ which Mark Wright won. Over the years Climb Online has developed an enviable blue-chip client base including TikTok, Made.com and Luxurious Look.

Having built the business over a number of years Mark Wright approached KBS Corporate Finance with the sale of their business.

The opportunity attracted high levels of interest predominately from UK trade buyers, with the successful offer coming from xDNA Group. The Group is an award-winning digital agency with offices in Asia and the UK. xDNA Group is currently following an aggressive growth strategy having previously acquired Big Reach Marketing and Fluid Studios and opening an office in Dubai.

Mark Wright, who will continue as a Shareholder of the group, commented: “I couldn’t have sold my business without KBS. When Lord Sugar and I first started being approached from trade buyers, and financials buyer and decided to sell our business we knew in order to have the most structured process and achieve the highest price we needed to work with KBS. We were initially impressed with the marketing materials they put together, the teaser document and IM were professionally written and beautifully designed and they took the time to understand our business to present it in the best possible light. All that said, by far the best part of working with KBS was the team they assigned us. Ian Barton & Anne Pritchard are truly a different class of professionals. Their knowledge of buying and selling a business is unmatched and they dominated the process at every stage, the buyer profiling, pre-screening, meeting prep and follow-up made my job easy, all I ever needed to do was talk about my business. It was no surprise we got lots of interest and a great price. They were always at the end of the phone, sometimes at crazy hours to educate me on a point or calm my nerves towards the end. I genuinely think of the KBS team as friends and the next time I’m buying or selling a business, Ian & Anne will be our first call. Thanks for everything!”

Lord Sugar commented on the major milestone: “Climb Online has experienced rapid growth since Mark and I founded the business, and I’m so proud of what has been achieved. I look forward to seeing the next phase of growth with great interest, as this is a great example to all budding entrepreneurs of what can be possible.”

Mark Chambers, xDNA Group Executive Chairman, commented: “The combination of xDNA and Climb Online is extremely compelling – creating one of the largest full service digital and software agencies in the UK. We have some exciting expansion plans to continue to develop the group that will add true value to our clients across the globe. It is an exciting time for the team, and I’m looking forward to delivering further growth and success.”

Ian Barton, Managing Director, and Anne Pritchard, Corporate Finance Executive, at KBS Corporate Finance advised Climb Online throughout the process.

Ian Barton commented: “We are delighted to have advised Mark and Lord Sugar on the sale of Climb Online, the first successful exit of a business founded by the winner of BBCTV’s ‘The Apprentice’.  Having watched Mark start his journey so publicly on the show and to have been trusted to advise the shareholders on the completion of their entrepreneurial journey together was a huge privilege.  The business attracted huge interest from a number of international parties and we were pleased to have completed the deal in a smooth and targeted process with XDNA Interactive.  We wish Mark well in his next entrepreneurial venture and the whole Climb Online team in the newly enlarged global group, and we will be watching the 2023 series to see who Lord Sugar hires as the next winner.”

Diacom Networks

Diacom Networks provides creative, professional, and reliable IT and telecommunications services to a multitude of clients internationally. The Company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation, with the strength of its workforce, products and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a high-value, long-standing client base.

Diacom Networks shareholders, Steven Harrison and Mandy Harrison, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to promote growth under the impetus of a new owner.

The opportunity attracted high levels of trade interest, with the majority of the 25 interested parties coming from trade.

The successful offer came from UK trade buyer, Croft Communications. The acquisition acts as Croft’s fifth acquisition since May this year, including Design Communications, Active Voice & Data, Cloud9 and Claro Communications.

Diacom Networks Managing Director Steven Harrison commented: “After looking for several months for a way of developing Diacom Networks Ltd, I was introduced to the Croft senior management team via a mutual contact. The following meetings were very positive and encouraging. It felt like a good fit for my personal goals my business and my customers moving forward. A direct hit on what I was looking for. The ability to have increased resources available, but also continue to work with my customers.

I am very pleased to say that, as of the end of September, I am now part of the Croft team. I am looking forward to working within the business to bring exciting opportunities to my customers.”

Croft CEO Mark Bramley commented: “We can’t wait to benefit from the technical knowledge, skills and experience that the team at Diacom will bring to Croft. We look forward to welcoming them on board.”

Charles Needham, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Diacom Networks.

Freedom Heat Pumps Limited

Freedom Heat Pumps Limited designs, supplies and supports ground and air source heat pumps, primarily working with merchants and installers on a national basis. Since the company’s inception in 2010, Freedom Heat Pumps Limited has experienced significant growth, developing into one of the largest heat pump distributors in the UK. They supply a range of brands and offer technical advice to installers in what is a rapidly growing market.

The shareholders of Freedom Heat Pumps Limited approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable the retirement plans of the majority of the shareholders. During initial discussions, it became apparent that sourcing a buyer that would ensure staff retention whilst enabling further growth of the business was of high importance.

The company proved popular with trade and private equity attracting numerous interested parties. These high levels of interest were used to generate a competitive offer environment resulting in five offers being produced. The ultimate offer came from UK trade buyer Certas Energy, a subsidiary of FTSE 100 company DCC plc. Certas Energy has been highly active within the acquisitions market having previously acquired multiple companies within recent months. The acquisition of Freedom Heat Pumps Limited will enable Certas Energy to strengthen its position within the sector whilst enabling further growth and development of the company.

Post-completion Managing Director, Chris Higgs, will remain with Freedom Heat Pumps Limited.

Tom Eatough, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, advised Freedom Heat Pumps Limited and commented: “I am really pleased we managed to reach a successful conclusion for our clients.  Completing a transaction in the midst of a turbulent economic and political backdrop presented its challenges, but Freedom is a high-quality business in an exciting sector, and I am sure it will be a great success for both sides moving forward.”

Inspection Verification Bureau

Inspection Verification Bureau is a reputable provider of independent verification and inspection services, primarily serving clients with global interests in the hydrocarbon and renewable energy industries. The company has experienced significant growth since its inception, with the strength of its reputation, client relationships and accreditations ensuring the sustained success of the business for the foreseeable future.

The shareholders of Inspection Verification Bureau, Chris Bolton, and Matt Chapman approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to secure Chris’ retirement plans. It also became clear that the continuation of Inspection Verification Bureau’s international presence was vital.

The company drew interest from UK and overseas trade buyers, attracting 16 interested parties in total. TUV Rheinland UK Limited produced the successful offer, part of the TUV Rheinland Group benefit from a strong presence within Germany. The acquisition will enable TUV Rheinland to strengthen its international reach.

Post completion Matt Chapman will begin his new role as Managing Director of TUV Rheinland UK Limited.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Inspection Verification Bureau throughout and commented: “The acquisition will be highly beneficial for both parties to expand each of their reaches internationally, with IVB gaining a significant foothold in Europe via TUV-R and the buyer gaining presence in the middle east.”

Ravenhall Risk Solutions Limited

Ravenhall Risk Solutions Limited is a chartered insurance broker, offering an extensive range of products and services to clients throughout the UK. Predominantly operating within the insurance market, the company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering. This has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Having built up the business over the course of 16 years, the shareholders Neil Grimshaw and James Daly, instructed KBS Corporate to find the right strategic partner. It also became apparent during initial discussions, that it was also vital to find an acquirer who could enable further growth and enable the retention of the current staff.

The opportunity attracted 49 interested parties, some from private equity and investment with the vast majority coming from trade. KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to generate a competitive bidding environment with ten offers. The successful offer came from UK trade buyer Jensten Group Holdings. The deal strengthens Jensten’s operations in Yorkshire and acts as the latest step in its growth strategy.

Alistair Hardie, Jensten Group CEO commented: “We are delighted to welcome Ravenhall to the Jensten family. Neil and the team share our core values and culture, providing an exceptional broking service and putting clients first – making them an ideal fit for the Jensten Group.”

Neil Grimshaw, Ravenhall Director, explained: “After deciding it was time for the business to enter its next phase, Jensten quickly became the obvious choice when looking for a buyer. Their focus on our people and clients from the beginning and their track record of buying brokers in the right way gave us the confidence we were making the right decision.”

Alistair added: “The addition of Ravenhall to the Jensten portfolio further demonstrates that we are the natural home for high quality regional and specialist brokers who want to protect and grow the business they’ve built, ensuring both staff and clients remain central to the business.”

Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, George Barnes, advised Ravenhall Risk Solutions Limited. Adam Gilbert and Georgia Bradley from Chatterton provided Legal advice on the transaction. 

Out N About ATP Limited

Out’n’About ATP Limited specialises in the supply of a range of multi-award-winning, all-terrain pushchairs and accessories. The Company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the continued strength and success of the business.

The shareholders of Out’n’About ATP Limited approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans. During initial discussions, it became clear that it was important to find a buyer who could capitalise on the business’s recent growth generated by their e-commerce offering and product development.

The company attracted global interest predominately from trade, drawing 22 interested parties in total. This resulted in two competing offers with the successful offer coming from private equity buyer AE Partners.

George Barnes, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Out N About ATP Limited. Adam Kaucher and James King of Irwin Mitchell LLP provided legal advice on the transaction.

Kinetek Solutions Limited

Operating since 2013, Kinetek Solutions Limited is a specialist provider of IT infrastructure services, supporting mid-market enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations. The comprehensive range of services offered by the company has earned it an excellent reputation in its sector and facilitated the establishment of strong relationships with prominent clients.

The shareholders of Kinetek, Robert Chesworth, Caroline Chesworth and Sarah Beattie, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate further growth under the impetus of new ownership. The opportunity proved highly popular attracting 108 interested parties, with the majority coming from trade and some private equity buyers.

This enabled KBS Corporate to generate six offers, with the ultimate offer coming from UK trade buyer Awareness Software Limited. The acquisition will enable both companies’ further growth and staff retention at Kinetek.

Corporate Deal Executive, Steve Alcock, advised Kinetek throughout.

WSW Consultancy Limited

WSW Consultancy Limited is an award-winning building surveying and architectural design practice, based in Fleet, Hampshire. Catering to a variety of industries, the company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its service offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Having built up the business over the course of 27 years, the shareholders, Richard Woods, and Charlotte Woods are offering WSW for sale as part of their retirement plans. During initial discussions, it became clear that securing a buyer who could facilitate further growth and enable staff retention was important to the shareholders.

WSW attracted 24 interested parties with most of the interest coming from trade buyers, with some private equity interest. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this interest to generate a competitive bidding environment.

The successful offer came from Stiles Harold Williams Partnership LLP, a UK trade buyer based in Brighton. The acquisition acts as part of the company’s growth strategy and will enable staff retention.

Steve Alcock, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised WSW and commented: “Both companies will benefit from each other’s service offerings and allow them to take on more work and expand, during the sale process there were a few hurdles, but these were overcome.”

Spencer ECA Group Limited

Spencer ECA Group consists of Spencer Environmental Care Associates Limited and Quantum Geotechnic Limited. Spencer ECA offers services that include groundworks, site clearance, landscaping, forestry, bioenergy and almost all aspects of land and environmental maintenance and management. In more recent times, the company has expanded its offer into the renewables sector.

Quantum Geotechnic provides a range of geotechnical services, from desk-based research to preliminary risk assessments, mining studies, geotechnical and geo-environmental consultancy, through to site investigations, in-situ testing, specialist ground monitoring installations. The company also provides ground stabilisation services, including soil nailing, mini and micro piling, ground anchors, rock bolting, meshing, shotcrete works and grout injection.

During initial discussions with the shareholders of Spencer ECA Group, it became apparent that sourcing a buyer who could build on the founder’s success and facilitate further growth was very important.  The shareholders were keen to ensure that a buyer could support the staff and build on the great reputation and brand that the shareholders have built.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy, which resulted in around 30 interested parties with a mix of financial and trade buyers. The successful offer came from RSK Group and this is the second acquisition via KBS Corporate within the past 12 months having previously acquired EIB Group.

Joint Managing Directors Jamie Jukes and Ross McDermott, who will continue to lead the Spencer business, said: “The clear synergy with the RSK Group, along with the opportunities for growth, made the Spencer Group acquisition by RSK a natural choice.”

RSK Group Chief Executive Alan Ryder added: “Spencer will expand our service offering in environmental management services, landscaping, groundworks, site clearance, recycling and forestry work, making a significant contribution to the group’s goals.

“Jamie and Ross’s comment about the synergy between RSK and Spencer is spot-on. Both companies are committed to the most comprehensive health and safety and environmental credentials, investing in sustainable resources and skills development.”

Tom Eatough, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, Spencer ECA Group and commented, “It was a pleasure to work with the shareholders and I am really pleased with the result.  The shareholders have built a multifaceted construction support & environmental solutions business with an impressive client base.  I am sure the acquisition will be a great success moving forward.”

Parkway Interiors Limited

Parkway Interiors Limited manufactures bespoke, handcrafted furniture for the super yacht and high-end residential markets, which is supplied to clients throughout the UK and Europe. Parkway Interiors was founded in 2006 and commenced trading, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients.

The shareholders of Parkway Interiors approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business as part of their retirement plans, as well as to safeguard the Company’s future for its employees, clients, and suppliers.

The company attracted 34 interested parties which led to three competing offers. The final offer came from Grant Russell, as part of their growth plans.

Alex Medwecki, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Parkway Interiors Limited.

On Track Recruitment

On Track Recruitment provides professional, dependable temporary and permanent recruitment solutions for clients within a wide range of buoyant sectors based across Surrey and Hampshire. The company maintains strong, long-standing client relationships, benefitting from a high volume of repeat and referral custom.

Having been with On Track Recruitment since its founding in the late 1990s, the founder Shirley Cripps, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

During initial discussions, it became apparent that staff retention and continuing a high level of service to customers were of utmost importance. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy toward sourcing a UK trade buyer. This proved a popular approach and resulted in multiple offers. The ultimate offer came from The Sammons Group, the acquisition will enable the group to broaden its geographical footprint and strengthen its client base.

Post completion the current Business Director at On Track Recruitment will be promoted to Managing Director ensuring continuity of service quality.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised On Track Recruitment throughout and commented: “I am happy to have secured a great future for On Track Recruitment, their employees, management, and client base. The acquisition proved highly mutually beneficial as it also enabled The Sammons Group continued growth via their current acquisition strategy.”

Harriet Smith, Sammons CEO said: “As companies embrace the change driven by Covid-19, there has never been a better time to both broaden and deepen the recruitment offering of Sammons. We’re executing on our strategic growth plan through attracting highly complementary businesses and market-leading talent to meet the demands of our current and future clients.”

Adan Group

Veljan Denison Limited has completed the acquisition of the Adan Group in an impressive deal that will enable the expansion of both companies. The Group consists of Adan Limited, Adan Holdings Limited and Hydraulic & Mechanical Services (Boston). The Adan Group has an excellent reputation as the manufacturer of hydraulic motors, reduction units, brakes, and ancillary products such as spur and epicyclic gearboxes.

The shareholders of the Group initially approached KBS Corporate to assist in their retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted 39 interested parties which led to two competing offers. The successful offer came from Indian-based trade buyer Veljan Denison Limited. The acquisition will enable Veljan Denison Limited to strengthen its position in the European market.

Post-completion the current shareholders will enable a handover period to ensure the continued success of the Group, over the next three years.

Luke Rae, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised the Group and commented: “The Group presented a fantastic opportunity for a well-established international business, such as Veljan Denison Limited, to establish a foothold in the UK market. I wish both the companies all the best for the future.”

The CDT Group

The CDT Group is the holding company for Custom Design Technologies Limited and MDH Wireless Technologies, which collectively provide design, development, and manufacturing services for plastic enclosures and associated electronic components, as well as alarm systems. The company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Having built up the business over the course of 35 years, the shareholder of The CDT Group approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

The CDT Group attracted 25 interested parties, the vast majority of whom came from UK trade. DiscoverIE Group plc, a constituent of the London Stock Exchange FTSE 250 index produced the successful offer. The acquisition will enable the company to expand its geographic footprint and market offerings.

The CDT Group was advised by Tom Eatough, Corporate Director, and Alex Medwecki, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate.

Nick Jefferies, Group Chief Executive of discoverIE, said:

“The acquisition of the CDT group continues our strategy of building a high quality, higher margin international group that designs and manufactures customised electronics. CDT will be integrated with our existing Contour business enabling more complex and integrated designs as well as providing CDT with access to our wider base of customers and with it, new sales opportunities. We are delighted to welcome CDT and its employees into the Group.

With a clear strategy focused on long-term, high quality growth markets, a diversified customer base, a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities, the Group is well positioned to make further progress on its key priorities.”

Allton Warping Limited

Operating since 1995, Allton Warping Limited is a longstanding and professional provider of warping services to clients throughout the UK. The company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Ian Kempshall and Phillip Buxton, the shareholders of Allton Warping Limited instructed KBS Corporate to facilitate their retirement plans.

During the initial discussions, it became apparent that extracting the excess cash from the company, staff retention and clientele was of high importance of to Allton Warping Limited. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy towards UK trade buyers, which resulted in 25 interested parties. The ultimate offer came from Eco Filters Limited. The acquisition will enable Eco Filters Limited to secure a chain of customers.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised Allton Warping Limited throughout.

Allied Insulators Limited

Allied Insulators Limited is a market-leading manufacturer of insulators, which are supplied to clients throughout the UK and internationally.

The shareholders of Allied Insulators Limited, instructed KBS Corporate to identify and agree a transaction with a strategic acquirer that could help leverage Allied Insulators market leading skillset.

The opportunity attracted 62 interested parties and four competing offers. The vast majority of interest came from UK private equity and trade. The successful offer came from Swedish buyer Addtech AB. The company have an energy supply division which has nearly 20 businesses that operates within the segment of power transmission. Allied Insulators proved a great opportunity to cross-sell existing products and services but also allows both parties work together on upcoming projects from the expected investment in the UK electric and rail networks.

Hans Andersén, Business Area Manager Addtech Energy commented, “The acquisition of Allied Insulators further strengthens our position as a leading player in the field of electric transmission lines. Allied Insulators complements our operations in an excellent way and establishes us as a significant supplier of overhead line material to network owners outside the Nordic region.”

George Barnes, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Allied Insulators Limited. Legal support was provided by David Easdown and Ryan Tweedale from Knights Plc.

Micom Engineering Limited

Micom Engineering Limited provides high-quality precision engineered components and assemblies to a broad range of industries throughout the UK. The company was established in 2004, and over the years has developed a loyal yet diverse client base.

Paul Webber, the shareholder of Micom Engineering Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale due to lifestyle changes.

The opportunity proved highly popular attracting 98 interested parties, the vast majority of whom came from UK trade. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this interest to generate a competitive bidding environment. The successful offer came from Northend Holdings Limited, as part of their acquisition via growth strategy.

Steve Alcock, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Micom Engineering Limited.

Chantry Chemicals

Chantry Chemicals offers a bespoke chemical and raw materials distribution service to the paint, printing inks, surface coatings, janitorial, lubricants, plastics, and sealants industries. The Company commenced trading in 1982, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up lasting relationships with customers.

The shareholders of Chantry Chemicals, Phillip Jones and Jessica Taylor, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business.

The company attracted 22 interested parties which led to a competitive bidding environment and enabled KBS Corporate to source a buyer within three months. The ultimate offer came from The White Sea & Baltic Co Ltd. The company periodically completes acquisitions to strengthen its position, the most recent of these being HiMar Performance Specialties.

Chantry Chemicals was advised by Charles Needham, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, who commented: “The shareholders can now look to relax after a very difficult few years of running the company. It is always pleasing to see our clients realise a sale that allows them to happily walk away from the company. The buyers will be able to bolt the key assets of the Chantry Chemicals onto their business proceedings and benefit from an instantly increased volume of customers and stock levels.”

Gemini Parking Solutions London Limited

Gemini Parking London Limited is an independent provider of car parking solutions for businesses and private clients located across the UK. Since the company’s inception in 2012, Gemini Parking Solutions London Limited has experienced a sustained period of growth, gaining a steady stream of new customs from several well-established companies and organisations, and becoming ISO 9001 and SafeContractor accredited.

Ryan Jackson, Justine Smith and JKO Property Investments, the shareholders of Gemini Parking Solutions London Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable them to pursue unrelated business interests.

The opportunity proved highly popular, producing 83 interested parties, and two competing offers. The final offer came from APCOA Parking, Europe’s longest-established parking management company which operates from its head offices in Stuttgart, Germany. The acquisition will enable APCOA’s geographic footprint, which mirrors the company’s acquisition of Dublin-based Nationwide Controlled Parking Services in 2019.

APCOA’s Regional Managing Director UK&I, Kim Challis, commented: “Gemini Parking Solutions is an award-winning business in this sector and will be a great fit with APCOA – we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues.

APCOA and Gemini have both actively supported improvements targeted by the new Parking Code and we will continue to strengthen robust policies and procedures to ensure all car park users are treated fairly, with respect and consideration.

We’re also excited to develop more innovative solutions in this area and to maximise opportunities in agreement with our clients, through the provision of our Urban Hub strategy where we will deliver via a range of community-focused products and services to create more sustainable urban life.”

Nathan Leah, Associate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Gemini Parking Solutions London Limited and commented: “I am delighted to have supported the exiting shareholders through their transaction with APCOA. Gemini commanded strong interest throughout our time on the market, but APCOA was by far the most credible, genuine, and serious buyer which we engaged with. I am delighted for the shareholders and wish APCOA all the best going forward, as they continue to grow and expand their already strong UK operations.”

Post completion all staff will be retained.

Kestrel International Circuits Limited

Kestrel International Circuits Limited is a market-leading supplier of value-added PCB solutions. The company was founded in 1995, since this time, the Company has achieved steady, organic growth, increased its international market share, and pursued expansion opportunities in a broad range of sectors.

The shareholders of Kestrel International Circuits instructed KBS Corporate to implement further growth. Kestrel International Circuits proved highly popular attracting 54 interested parties, which resulted in a competitive bidding environment. The ultimate offer came from Swedish trade buyer NCAB Group and will strengthen its position in the UK market.

“We are happy to announce the acquisition of Kestrel”, Peter Kruk, CEO of NCAB Group comments. “The UK is an important industrial market and Kestrel makes a good match to our own activities there. NCAB Group UK had 30 employees and net sales of SEK 310 million prior to this. We find the product range and business model of Kestrel similar to ours. We expect that we will be able to offer Kestrels´ customers increased product options and better terms.”

“Since it’s foundation in 1995, Kestrel International Circuits Limited has built its reputation on excellence of customer service, a stable and well managed supply chain and loyal enthusiastic employees, comments David Grant Kestrel’s Managing Director.

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director, advised Kestrel International Circuits throughout the process.

Mitigate Cyber

Mitigate Cyber is a trusted and highly reliable provider of cyber security services, offering testing, training, and certification services across the growing UK market through its innovative hub. The company was originally formed in 2012 and focused on research and product development until 2017, allowing the business to cement itself within the UK cyber security market. Mitigate Cyber was acquired by the current shareholders in 2018 and has seen considerable growth over the years.

The shareholders of Mitigate Cyber approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business. The successful offer came from Citation which is currently highly acquisitive, having already completed QMS International, uCheck, and four other acquisitions since September 2020. The Citation Group benefits from a global presence with offices in the UK and Australia. Mic

Michelle Ciavatta, Managing Director at Mitigate Cyber commented: “We are so excited and pleased to be joining The Citation Group family – not only is this an amazing opportunity for the business to develop, but The Citation Group offer an extensive range of services that will be of great benefit to our clients. It is important to us that we offer excellent security services to our clients, and through this acquisition, we are confident that we will continue to do so as we grow and innovative our solutions.”

Chris Morris, Group CEO at The Citation Group, said: “Our vision is to create a one-stop SME ecosystem that provides the tools to keep businesses safe, sustainable and successful, and Mitigate Cyber adds perfectly to that.

“Managing and protecting data is vital for every business, whatever size or specialty, and effective cyber security is an absolute must-have for any forward-thinking business.”

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director, and Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive, advised Mitigate Cyber throughout the process.

Aurora Manufacturing Ltd and Venture Polymers (UK) Ltd

International recycling specialist Ravago has acquired Aurora Manufacturing Ltd and Venture Polymers (UK) Ltd, with KBS Corporate Finance advising the Sellers.

The two highly respected recycling companies had built a strong partnership by working closely together for over a decade. Given the collaboration in place and the potential synergies on offer through integration, the acquisition of both companies presented an interesting opportunity for the right buyer.

The project was led by Mughees Saleem (Corporate Finance Director) and George Dalton (Corporate Finance Executive), who advised the group throughout the process. The opportunity produced a competitive bidding environment with interest from both trade and private equity. The successful offer came from Belgian based sector specialist Ravago, with the acquisition enabling them to diversify their service offerings alongside strengthening their presence within the UK.

Mughees commented: “The shareholders of Aurora and Venture had built incredibly successful companies and it was important to present the relative strengths of each company throughout the process, with the transaction a great result for both buyer and seller.”

Alex Cook, CEO of Aurora, commented: “Following two decades of work within the UK plastics recycling industry we are pleased to announce the acquisition of our businesses into the Ravago group.

“As the recycling market continues to mature within the UK we are very much focused on expansion and realising our full potential in the coming years.

“The investment and support of Ravago will play a key part in this and will accelerate our ability to adapt and meet the requirements of the future market for recycled plastics.”

The Ravago group benefits from a global presence and a varied client base supplying clients within the automotive, electrical appliances, wire and cable, and packaging sectors.  Annually the group sells more than 6,700,000 tonnes of polymers. Ravago intends to grow its operations within the UK throughout the acquisitions of Aurora and Venture.

Manuel Gayo, Ravago Manufacturing Europe’s business director, added: “This is a key step in Ravago’s growth strategy in post-consumer recycling-based compounds as we continue to support our customers with solutions to meet the ever-increasing demand for post-consumer recycled plastics.”

East Anglian Fine Weld

East Anglian Fine Weld is a long-standing manufacturer of heat-sealing components, which are supplied to clients operating within the packaging industry throughout the UK and internationally. East Anglian Fine Weld was founded in 1983 and commenced trading, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients. The company is the only UK company and one of five globally to manufacture heat seal elements and stainless-steel belts.

Hans Reif and Sally Reif, the shareholders of East Anglian Fine Weld, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted 22 interested parties, with the vast majority coming from trade. This resulted in a competitive bidding environment with the successful offer coming from LBO Corporation PLC as part of their growth via acquisition plans.

Luke Rae, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised East Anglian Fine Weld.

Rooms & Views Manufacturing Limited

Rooms & Views Manufacturing Limited is a well-established and respected designer, manufacturer and installer of windows and doors for national and regional house builders based across England and Wales. The company benefits from a blue-chip client base and long-standing relationships with clients, several of which span over 20 years.

The majority shareholder of Rooms & Views Manufacturing Limited, Kevin McClure, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in 28 interested parties being identified, the vast majority of whom came from private equity, with some overseas trade. The successful offer came from Foresight Group LLP and marks the group’s second acquisition via KBS Corporate. The acquisition of Rooms & Views Manufacturing Limited will enable Foresight Group LLP to diversify their manufacturing portfolio into the windows and doors manufacturing sector.

Post completion the remaining shareholders will remain with Rooms & Views Manufacturing Limited, moving into a board position role.

Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, Andrew Dodd, advised Rooms & Views Manufacturing Limited throughout the process.

BIL Group

BIL Group specialises in the design, manufacture, and distribution of high-quality castors, wheels, product handling equipment plus other complementary products, offering a broad spectrum of services.

BIL Group attracted 39 interested parties, the final offer came from PHD Industrial Holdings Limited. The acquisition is the first for PHD Industrial Holdings Limited since a company restructure which has enabled greater flexibility for investors.

Tim Murrow, who will now become the BIL Group’s Managing Director, commented: “This is a pivotal point in the BIL Group’s journey which has spanned over 50 years and is testament to the incredible work that the team have put into building such a fantastic company. We are confident that as part of the PHD Industrial Holdings group, we will deliver on our ambitious strategic plans, along with growth of the business.”

The PHD team was led by Philip Price, Craig Richardson, and Andy Dodd. Craig Richardson, Director, commented: “The BIL Group team have done a great job in building a solid manufacturing business with quality products and catering to an expanding market. The business is a perfect match for PHD, which targets profitable SMEs with repeat products and services in established business to business industry sectors, and we see lots of opportunities to add value. We look forward to supporting the team as the business embarks on the next stage of its growth.”

Jay Singh, Corporate Finance Director at KBS Corporate, advised BIL Group.

Chandler Communications Limited

Chandler Communications Limited, is an award-winning, independent unified communications solutions provider, offering mobile and fixed communication services. Predominantly operating within the telecoms market, the Company has established a prominent position within its sector and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

The shareholders of Chandler Communications Limited, Perry Chandler and Joanne Chandler, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business as part of their retirement plans.

The opportunity proved highly popular attracting 123 interested parties and five offers. The ultimate offer came from Intercity Technology. The acquisition forms part of Intercity Technology’s growth via acquisition strategy having previously acquired Imerja.

Perry Chandler, director, and co-founder of Chandler Communications commented: “After thoroughly enjoying the past 36 years, and for very personal reasons, it’s time to hand over the reins. I’ve looked for a company who hold the same important values at their core as I do and have found this in abundance at Intercity.

“It’s fantastic to see two family-owned Midlands businesses coming together but, more importantly, it’s also great news for our customers. They will continue to benefit from working with our experienced communications specialists alongside Intercity’s leading support team. In addition, and most significantly, they will also gain access to a full range of IT services and other products which Intercity offers within its portfolio.”

Andrew Jackson, chief executive of Intercity, said: “Having seen how this well-managed business has grown over the last 30 years, and the care the team put into building long-term partnerships with customers, we recognised the huge synergies between our two organisations.

“We pride ourselves on our high levels of service and ensuring a positive customer experience within every aspect of the business, we measure this continually and will never rest in our pursuit of excellence and market leading customer satisfaction. Chandler is a great fit for Intercity and this deal is an important step in our long-term plan to grow through careful and considered acquisitions.”

Andrew Dodd, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Chandler Communications Limited.

Hervia Bazaar Limited

Hervia Bazaar Limited specialises in the sale of luxury apparel and products from several highly respected brands and designers, establishing a loyal client base and an exceptional reputation within the fashion industry.

Richard Duncalf and Oscar Pinto-Hervia, the shareholders of Hervia Bazaar Limited, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business.

The company received 25 interested parties which led to a competitive bidding environment. The ultimate offer came from Parabellum Investments, a family office operating as a global private equity firm.

Rami Cassis, founder of Parabellum Investments, commented: “Hervia has a rich legacy as a brand and strong foundations as a business, and our ambitious plans are based on driving future organic growth as well as exploring new acquisitions for Hervia.

“I look forward to investing in the business from top to bottom, including improving the customer experience, entering new segments of the market, and adding to an already excellent team.”

Oscar Pinto-Hervia, Chief Executive of Hervia, added: “It’s an exciting time for Hervia as we look to onboard fresh, new brands and open additional stores. I was struck by Rami’s enthusiasm and his growth plans for Hervia align with our ambitious vision for the company.

“His strong track record of leading and managing companies ensures he’s a great fit to take us forward into the next phase of expansion.”

Jay Singh Corporate Finance Director at KBS Corporate, advised Hervia Bazaar Limited throughout the process.

Channing Lucas and Partners

Channing Lucas and Partners is an independent marine insurance broker offering a comprehensive range of products and bespoke solutions to clients throughout the UK and internationally.

The shareholder of Channing Lucas and Partners approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate part of their retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted 39 interested parties which resulted in four offers. The successful offer came from DR&P Group Limited via investment from Inflexion Group. The acquisition was motivated by DR&P Group Limited growth plans.

Jay Singh, Corporate Finance Director at KBS Corporate, advised Channing Lucas and Partners throughout the process.

Tuffpipes Limited

Tuffpipes Limited is a manufacturer of rigid PVC ducting for supply to the utilities, construction, and infrastructure industries. The Company has experienced considerable growth since its inception, with its reputation for an exceptional service, knowledgeable workforce and high-quality products ensuring the continued strength of the business.

The shareholders of Tuffpipes Limited, Neil Tuff and Amanda Tuff, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted high levels of interest from UK trade buyers, with some also coming from private equity. The final offer came from Naylor Industries PLC as part of their growth and expansion plans.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Stephen Alcock, advised Tuffpipes Limited and commented: “The acquisition of Tuffpipes Limited by Naylor Drainage Ltd will benefit both companies going forward. The products that Tuffpipes Limited offer will complement the already great service that Naylor Drainage Ltd provide to its customers.”

Neil Tuff and Amanda Tuff will remain with the business to enable a handover period.

Tyneside Standards Limited

Tyneside Standards Limited is a specialist provider of calibration, inspection, and repair services. The company has achieved steady, organic growth, increased its regional market share and pursued expansion opportunities across multiple sectors.

Having built up the business over the course of 23 years, the shareholders Harry Thompson and John Wood, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business.

KBS Corporate implemented an international research approach which resulted in 34 interested parties which generated a competitive bidding process. The ultimate offer came from WIKA Instruments Ltd, which has an international presence. The acquisition is part of the company’s growth plan which mirrors the American branch of the company which has previously acquired ASL and Hirschmann MCS. 

Alex Phillips, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Tyneside Standards Limited and commented: “It was a pleasure to advise the shareholders of Tyneside Standards Limited, on their successful sale to WIKA Instruments Ltd. I’m positive the transaction will be a resounding success for both parties, and wish them all the best for the future.”

GT Certification Limited

GT Certification Limited operates within a niche industry to offer comprehensive measurement, calibration, and testing services to several clients throughout the UK and internationally. The company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation, with the strength of its workforce and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a high-value, long-standing client base.

Gary Thompson and Nancy Thompson, the shareholders of GT Certification Limited, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to help realise their retirement plans. During initial discussions it became apparent that the shareholders were keen to source a buyer who would ensure staff retention and enable further growth of the business.

This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy towards UK trade buyers, a highly successful approach which resulted in 44 interested parties being identified. The successful offer came from Construction Testing Solutions, the acquisition marks the second the company has made through KBS Corporate within 12 months, having previously acquired Silkstone Environmental.

Alex Medwecki, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised GT Certification Limited throughout the process.

MAW Consulting

MAW Consulting Limited is an independent organisation that offers a comprehensive range of construction consultancy services, primarily for the benefit of commercial businesses operating across Leeds and the North of England. The company has continued to expand, earning an excellent reputation, and enhancing its comprehensive service offering.

The company attracted 25 interested parties and three offers. Jonathan Cornes Associates produced the successful offer as a synergistic purchase.

MAW founder Mark Watson said: “From my first meeting with the Directors of JCA I felt that there was synergy with common values and a shared understanding of how to develop and run a multi-discipline consultancy.”

JCA Managing Director Jonathan Cornes said: “At JCA, we have an ambitious growth plan to expand the business nationally over the next decade, and part of this vision is through acquisitions and mergers under the JCA Group so that we can offer a national multi-disciplinary service to our clients.

“We are actively looking for like-minded business owners with the same values and aspirations as JCA and MAW to continue to add to our growth plan so that we can achieve our long terms goals.”

Jonathan added: “We are delighted to have acquired MAW because, like ourselves, they have a wealth of experience and expertise in what they do – and an outstanding reputation with their clients for over 10 years.”

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised MAW Consulting.

Tony Perry Limited

Tony Perry Limited is a highly regarded steel fabrication business that specialises in designing, building, and installing decorative and structural fabrications for commercial clients and private individuals. The company was founded in 1983 and over the years has seen significant growth.

The shareholders of Tony Perry Limited, Tony and Jacqui Perry instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans. The opportunity attracted high levels of interest from UK trade buyers.

The ultimate offer came from MFG Holdings and will enable the company to diversify their service offerings.

Jack Bryan, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Tony Perry Limited.

S.I.I.S. Limited

S.I.I.S. Limited is a highly reputable supplier of trade equipment, offering its products to a wide variety of sectors. The company was established in 2004 and over 18 years has developed lasting relationships with customers.

The shareholders, Robert Alastair Wood, Sharon Wood, and Grant Frobister approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate initially drafted a UK wide research strategy, but due to the company’s popularity S.I.I.S. Limited was only on the market for a couple of weeks. The successful offer came from Ascot Capital Ltd, who had been keen to enter the trade equipment market for some time.

Luke Rae, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised S.I.I.S. Limited and commented, “This sale secures the businesses future moving forward whilst also providing the previous owner with the means in which to secure their retirement.”

RDS

RDS was established in 2017 and assists SME businesses and accountants in accessing R&D tax credits. Since the company’s inception, RDS has developed a large national client base specialising predominately within the manufacturing, technology, construction, scientific and engineering sectors. Over five years RDS has enabled its clients to receive more than £27m in R&D support. The company differentiates themselves from their competition through RDS’ pioneering marketing strategy and technological yet personalised approach.

The founders of RDS, Geoff Liberman and Mark Joyner, approached KBS Corporate Finance with the sale of their business to facilitate further growth.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in the ultimate offer from BGF. The £5m investment will enable RDS to pursue further investment in their innovative technology and expanding their current headcount.

Commenting on the deal, RDS Director Mark Joyner said: “My personal passion is working with businesses and understanding what makes them successful. Companies often don’t realise they are eligible for R&D as it’s not always just about developing new products or ideas but can apply to developing new ways of doing things, or the adaption & development of processes to improve their product or service. We’re well placed to support all shapes and sizes of business to receive credit or repayment for their innovation to reinvest and grow.

“When we started to consider an investment partner, we’d had interest from trade buyers and private equity. Where BGF stood out was their long-term, collaborative approach and shared ambition for the business. We’ve rapidly grown in the past five years but with this investment, we have the people, experience, and capital to surpass all our previous goals.”

Pinesh Mehta, investor at BGF in the North West, commented: “Geoff, Mark and team have built a business with strong fundamentals and an innovative marketing approach. Given the backdrop, innovation is a significant force for good in driving business growth. RDS has created a competitive edge through its thorough approach and has invested in some impressive client technology that will create efficiencies and simplify processes even further, providing a platform for the business to scale. It’s fantastic to be backing such a strong team and compelling offer to help take the company to the next level.”

Dave Gardner, KBS Corporate Finance Director, advised RDS throughout the process and commented: “The deal with BGF provides an exceptional strategic fit for RDS and one which I have no doubt will accelerate the business’ growth plans. They have wasted little time having already successfully identified and secured new talent at both operational and board level to supplement the already impressive team. With RDS’ track record of facilitating millions of pounds of R&D tax credits for its clients to support their continued innovation, this is an investment that should benefit SME’s entrepreneurs and the economy in general following a challenging couple of years.”

Commercial Maintenance Services UK

Commercial Maintenance Services UK specialise in the installation, maintenance and repair of business-critical systems including heating and plumbing. The company was established in 2000, and over the years has seen considerable growth.

The shareholders of Commercial Maintenance Services UK, Nic Smith and Neil Smith, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in to enable further growth. The opportunity proved highly popular with the successful offer coming from Newable Capital.

Nic Smith, Managing Director at Commercial Maintenance Services UK said: “Over the past 22 years, CMS has proved itself to be agile and resilient, responding to changing demands and developing new opportunities, and we are delighted to welcome the investment from Newable that will support the continued growth of the business.”

Peter Barrand, Managing Director at Newable Capital, added: “We have been hugely impressed by the business that Nic and Neil have built and the continued growth they have experienced over the last 20 years. Our aim is to leverage the resources of Newable to support CMS’ journey as we cement their leading position in the market. We look forward to working with the whole team at CMS in a very exciting time for the business.

“For Newable Capital, this represents another strategic investment in successful businesses working at the heart of the UK economy.”

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Commercial Maintenance Services UK.

ECEX Limited

Founded in 1994, ECEX Limited is a well-established multi-specialist engineering contractor. The company has developed a prominent position within its sector. ECEX Limited offers a one-stop shop for a range of mechanical services, metalwork and fabrication, air handling unit refurbishment and associated services.

The current shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable the retirement of two out of the three shareholders. During initial discussions, it became apparent that the retention of the remaining shareholder, as well as the staff was of high importance.

KBS Corporate was able to produce 21 interested parties, with the majority coming from trade and some investment interest. The successful offer came from Usefulalus Limited with funding from Gabriel Private Investments Ltd as part of their growth and expansion plans. The acquisition will also enable further growth of ECEX Limited with the remaining shareholder continuing their role as the Managing Director.

Post completion the two shareholders who are retiring will remain with ECEX Limited to assist in a handover period.

 Stephen Alcock, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised ECEX Limited.

Pinnacle Electrical Ltd

Pinnacle Electrical Ltd stocks an extensive range of electrical products, which are supplied to trade customers throughout the UK. Since the company’s inception in 2011, the company has achieved steady, organic growth, increased its national market share and pursued expansion opportunities in a broad range of sectors.

The shareholders of Pinnacle Electrical Ltd instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable the exit of Adam Knight, whilst James Walsh wished to remain with the business to facilitate further growth under the impetus of a new ownership.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in 51 interested parties. KBS Corporate utilised these high levels of interest to generate a competitive bidding process. The final offer came from Strathray Capital and will enable them to establish a presence in the electrical goods sector whilst expanding their geographic footprint.

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate advised Pinnacle Electrical Ltd throughout the process and commented: “It has been a pleasure to work on a transaction based on collaboration between the parties, and I have no doubt the excellent relationship built up between the parties will stand the business in very good stead for years to come.  Adam and James have established a strong and profitable brand that has already proved disruptive within its sector. Under James Walsh’s continued stewardship, and with further capital and strategic input from Strathray I’m sure the Company will continue to grow very healthily indeed.”

Enhance Office Cleaning

Enhance Office Cleaning Ltd provides dedicated contract cleaning solutions, utilising a highly motivated and efficient staff to deliver market-leading services for commercial clients. Since the company’s inception in 2010, the business has developed an enviable blue chip client base.

The shareholders of Enhance Office Cleaning Ltd approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable them to realise the value they had built whilst exiting from the business.

KBS Corporate formed a research strategy that had a primary focus on UK buyers that specialise in commercial cleaning, facilities management or property management that were seeking to expand. This proved a highly fruitful strategy resulting in 31 interested parties.

The successful offer came from Intelligent Workplace Solutions the acquisition will facilitate further growth via enlarging their presence within London with access to a larger client list. Following the acquisition, the current staff will remain with the Enhance Office Cleaning.

Enhance Office Cleaning was advised by Alex Medwecki, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate.

Cresswell Office Services

Cresswell Office Services Limited specialises in the provision of a range of cleaning services to the public and private sectors. The company was founded in 1995, quickly establishing itself within the market and building up relationships with new clients.

David McLeod, the shareholder of Cresswell Office Services instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate formed a research approach that centred on sourcing a UK buyer preferably within the Greater London area. This resulted in 40 interested parties, which KBS Corporate was able to use to generate a competitive bidding environment.

The final offer came from Total Clean Services Ltd and will enable them to expand their current business.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Luke Rae, advised Cresswell Office Services.

GRG Public Resources Limited

GRG Public Resources Limited operates with police forces and fire services across the UK, primarily providing call handling for vehicle removal. The Company commenced trading in 1994, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up lasting relationships with clients.

The shareholders approached KBS Corporate with the sale of GRG Public Resources Limited due to a change in personal circumstances.

The opportunity attracted 24 interested parties, with the majority coming from UK trade. The final offer came from FMG Support Group Ltd. KBS Corporate was able to facilitate a swift transaction enabling the shareholders a clean exit. The acquisition will also further FMG Support Group Ltd geographic expansion and allow access to a wider client base.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Matthew Sibley, advised GRG Public Resources Limited throughout the process.

Sock Academy Limited

Sock Academy Limited is a Hertfordshire based, multi-award-winning designer and manufacturer of socks for an international client base.  The company’s core products consist of innovative, giftware products in the form of quirky and colourful socks.  They operate as three brands including United Oddsocks, Cockney Spaniel and Cucamelon.  Through these brands, the company has been able to successfully offer a diverse range of products whilst maintaining clear brand identity for each of the three trading styles.  

Since the company’s inception in 2006, Sock Academy Limited has grown considerably, penetrating UK and international markets and earning an excellent reputation in the giftware sector.  This has led to the company winning multiple awards including the Giftware Association UK Gift of the Year, and the FSB Innovative Business of the Year.

The shareholders, Gary Schaffer and Paul Hughes, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise the value they had built over the years to facilitate their retirement plans, whilst enabling further growth of the business.

During initial discussions it became apparent that Gary Schaffer and Paul Hughes were keen to source a buyer that would not only enable the business to continue to thrive and grow, but also provide a secure future for the staff to continue their great work.  After an extensive research and marketing effort, Jatania Holdings, a London based family-owned company, were secured as the preferred bidder.  Jatania Holdings are long term investors, with a strong family ethos and a reputation for growing businesses.  It quickly became apparent that they were the ideal acquirer for Sock Academy.

Tom Eatough, KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, advised Sock Academy Limited and commented: “It was important to find a buyer with values that align with Sock Academy and their employees and I am pleased we managed to achieve this. Gary and Paul have built an impressive company and it was a pleasure to work with them on the transaction.  I would like to wish all parties the best for the future.”

Gary Schaffer: “From day one Tom understood us as people, our love of our business and that it was the right time to exit.  His understanding and appreciation that two ordinary people started a thing with a pound coin and a sheet of paper was inspirational. Tom worked hard to find a deal structure that benefitted everyone involved.”

Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies Ltd

Incorporated in 1995, Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies Ltd specialises in the dedicated supply of hydraulic and offshore products and services. Over the years the company has developed a loyal client base, the vast majority of whom provide repeat business and an excellent reputation.

Alan Wills, Joanne Wills and Don Fenwick, the shareholders of Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies Ltd, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to allow them to exit the business and pursue unrelated interests.

The shareholders were keen to ensure staff retention which shaped KBS Corporate’s approach towards sourcing a UK trade buyer. This strategy resulted in 32 interested parties being identified, resulting in multiple offers on the table. The ultimate offer came from RG Fluid Power Group Ltd as part of their current expansion plans and will enable for further group diversification.

Alex Phillips Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies Ltd and commented: “‘It was a pleasure advise the shareholders of Hydraulic and Offshore Supplies, on their successful sale to RG Fluid Power Group. From the outset it was clear that there were strong synergies between parties, and I am confident Hydraulics and Offshore Supplies will continue to thrive as part of the RG Fluid Power Group.”

Following the acquisition Don Fenwick will remain with the business. 

BKS Logistics Limited

Founded in 1985, BKS Logistics Limited is an established and respected logistical warehouse, providing comprehensive storage, pick and pack, and fulfilment facilities, as well as dedicated end user customer service solutions.

Having built the business for over 37 years, the shareholders Bruce Measor and Shirley Measor, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to realise their retirement plans. KBS Corporate predominately approached companies within the UK logistics & warehousing market, securing over 40 interested parties within just six months.

KBS Corporate used these high levels of interest to produce a competitive bidding environment, with Sadita (UK) Limited’s portfolio company Fidelity Supply Chain Solutions Limited producing the successful offer. This acquisition will strengthen its position within the region.

Aadesh Patel, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, commented: “It was a pleasure to work with the shareholders of BKS Logistics to expedite a successful sale to Fidelity Supply Chain Solutions Limited.”

I.P. Recruitment Limited

I.P. Recruitment Limited is an independent recruitment agency supplying temporary and permanent staff to a variety of sectors within its area. The company was established in 1994, and over the years has developed an excellent reputation and an enviable client base including several blue-chip organisations, some of whom have provided business for 20 years.

Sally Rowley and Daniel Rowley, the shareholders of I.P. Recruitment Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale to allow for lifestyle changes. It became apparent during initial discussions that sourcing a synergistic buyer who would facilitate further growth of the business including the workforce, was of upmost importance. KBS Corporate’s research strategy was formed to find the prospective buyer who would ideally have experience in recruitment, and the knowledge and resources to push the company to new heights. This resulted in a focus on UK and European recruitment agencies, which attracted over 25 interested parties.

Kenect Recruitment Limited produced the final offer. This acquisition will support Kenect’s overall operation and growth expectations over the coming years.

Aadesh Patel, Corporate Deal Executive, at KBS Corporate commented: “Strong shared values between I.P. Recruitment Limited and Kenect Recruitment Limited enabled the deal to progress as quickly as it did. I am confident that this transaction will be a success for both parties.”

Brindley Medical

Brindley Medical specialises in the provision of high-quality, professional temporary recruitment services, working closely with clients and candidates to fill professional employment positions as efficiently as possible, whilst providing the highest possible standard of service for all parties. The company was established in 2018 initially focussing on the supply of specialist care and nursing staff, then further diversifying to include non-clinical staff.

The shareholders of Brindley Medical instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable them to pursue unrelated business interests.

The opportunity attracted 43 interested parties and multiple offers. The successful offer came from UK trade buyer Kingdom Group, allowing them to enter the medical recruitment market.

Balraj Singh Sohal, the Managing Director of Brindley Medical, commented: “Brindley was founded just four years ago and, in that time, we’ve gone from strength to strength, meeting the challenges of the pandemic and more.

“Becoming part of the Kingdom Group of companies will help us to scale up even faster, not least in terms of technology and back-office support, which are both crucial if we are going to help to meet the huge demand in the health and social care marketplace.”

Chief Executive of Kingdom Group, Terry Barton commented: “We share the same commitment to high standards and safe delivery of healthcare, delivered by trained, experienced and specialist healthcare professionals.

“Working together, we see great opportunities to scale up and offer the best possible support to both healthcare and non-clinical clients as well as staff looking for permanent and temporary roles.”

Jay Singh, Corporate Finance Director at KBS Corporate, advised Brindley Medical. 

Post completion Brindley Medical will rebrand as Kingdom Medical Services, with Balraj Singh Sohal remaining as Managing Director alongside 22 current members of staff.

Kigtek

Kigtek provides a comprehensive range of specialist software, control, safety, and electrical solutions, and are renowned as premium suppliers of control, safety and monitoring systems in the food, beverage, and power markets.

Gordon Fleming, Kenny Williamson and Iain Murray, the shareholders of Kigtek instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable them to implement the beginning of their retirement plans.

The opportunity proved highly popular with 67 interested parties, including several large companies and multinationals. KBS Corporate was able to use these impressive levels of interest to generate a competitive bidding process which resulted in French trade buyer VINCI Energies producing the final offer. The acquisition will allow VINCI Energies to expand its specialism within the automation and process control sector as well as its geographic footprint. Legals were provided by Shoosmiths.

Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, Guy Haynes, advised Kigtek and commented: “Gordon, Iain and Kenny have built an outstanding business, and the fact that they managed to attract the interest of VINCI and several other blue-chip companies is testament to this. During the transaction a very strong relationship developed between the parties, and I have no doubt that under VINCI’s stewardship, Kigtek will grow and move to the next level.”

Scott Van Der Vord, Chief Financial Officer, VINCI Energies UK & ROI, said: “We are delighted to welcome Kigtek into the VINCI Energies group. This is a great addition to our team of automation and process control specialists and will, in turn, strengthen our ability to serve our many customers by improving their efficiency, optimising their industrial monitoring and safety processes, and integrating the latest smart industry technologies. Kigtek will join our existing Automation Perimeter of six Business Units, 220 staff and 11 locations and will establish a strong automation and control systems footprint for Actemium in Scotland.”

Gordon Fleming, Business Unit Manager at Kigtek commented: “The Kigtek team are really excited to begin the next chapter of our journey and thrilled to join VINCI Energies UK & RoI as part of its Actemium UK’s Automation Perimeter. The Group’s business model really attracted us as it gives us the ability to continue to grow our business and use the strength of the VINCI Energies network of Business Units in the UK and around the world to better serve our customers.”

UK Assistance 24/7

UK Assistance 24/7 is a provider of out-of-hours emergency home repairs. The Company has experienced considerable growth since its inception, with its reputation for an exceptional service, knowledgeable workforce and high-quality products ensuring the continued strength of the business.

The shareholders of UK Assistance 24/7 approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate the retirement plans of Britt and Andrew Taylor, with Aaron Lyons wishing to remain with the company post completion.

To enable this, KBS Corporate formed an approach focused on UK trade buyers, with the aim of seeking a synergistic purchase. This resulted in 23 interested parties, which KBS Corporate was able to use to generate two competing offers.

The successful offer came from UK trade buyer, Sedgwick who were looking to acquire UK Assistance 24/7 to bring a segment of their costs in house. There was already a relationship between the two companies as Sedgwick used UK Assistance 24/7 to facilitate many of their UK insurance claims. The acquisition will enable Sedgwick to streamline this experience.

Paul White, Sedgwick Chief Executive Officer in the UK commented: “We have had the pleasure of working with UKA247 on thousands of property claims and look forward to further growing our operations together with their talented colleagues and network of over 3,000 contractors.”

“This partnership will expand our home emergency support offerings and improve the customer experience for traditional property claims. Our streamlined process will ensure that customers receive rapid expert care during stressful and urgent claim events.”

Aaron Lyons, UK Assistance 24/7 Managing Director commented: “Our aim is to provide every customer with a cost-effective and reliable repair service.”

“We can now integrate our emergency repair operations with Sedgwick’s repair and restoration referral services, simplifying the process for all. By aligning with the support and depth of Sedgwick, I am confident that we will continue to offer the best emergency repair solutions for our customers.”

Charles Needham, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised UK Assistance 24/7 and commented: “UK Assistance 24/7 will now benefit from a much larger client base; Sedgwick will profit from bringing costs in house. It was great to work with both companies and find a mutually beneficial solution.”

So4Bed Limited

So4Bed Limited, which trades as Cottonsafe®, is a well-respected manufacturer and retailer of chemical-free, healthy, and safe mattresses for customers across the UK. The company was formed in 2003 and has experienced high levels of growth over the years.

Mark Dowen and Elizabeth Dowen, the shareholders of So4Bed Limited, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted 20 interested parties predominately from private investors and trade buyers. Ultimately the shareholders decided to pursue an MBO, which resulted in the creation of the Natural Mattress Company Limited.

The MBO will see the company to further grow under the impetus of a new owner who has a true insight into the company.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Aadesh Patel, advised So4Bed Limited.

Proserve Logistics

Proserve Logistics is a highly regarded provider of warehousing and transportation services for clients operating in a diverse range of industry sectors. Since the company began trading in 2008, they have developed an excellent reputation which has enabled it to build and maintain strong, long-standing relationships with its clients, several of which span over 12 years.

The current shareholders of Proserve Logistics approached KBS Corporate to help them eventually realise their retirement plans. As a result, it became apparent during initial discussions to pursue a structure that would allow them to capture value from future growth.

KBS Corporate was able to generate extensive trade, and some private equity interest due to the expansion that the logistics industry experienced post covid. The opportunity attracted 31 interested parties and several offers. The successful offer came from Northwest Logistics Ltd, as part of their warehousing operations and geographic footprint.

KBS Corporate was able to negotiate a deal that enables the current shareholders to release equity and capture future value through an earnout structure, with an eventual exit within two and a half years.

George Barnes, KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, advised Proserve Logistics.

Northern Interstate Services

Northern Interstate Services is a builders’ merchant supplying trade builders and private individuals across the Huddersfield area. Founded in 1994, over the years the company has established a prominent position within the local area and is held in high regard for the quality and reliability of its offering, which has ensured the longevity and strength of its client base.

Ryan Eastwood and Michael Eastwood approached KBS Corporate with the sale of Northern Interstate Services, to enable Michael Eastwood’s retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted 36 interested parties, the majority of whom came from trade. Myers Building Group produced the successful offer. The acquisition will facilitate Myers Building Group’s geographical expansion plans.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised Northern Interstate Services throughout the process.

MCE Engineering

MCE Engineering is an innovative engineering company that boasts a comprehensive range of design and manufacturing capabilities. The company was established in 1996 and over the years has established itself as a market leader, developing an enviable blue-chip client base.

Kevin McClean and Pete Murray, the shareholders of MCE Engineering, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to realise their exit and retirement plans, whilst maximising value.

During initial discussions, it became apparent that continued company growth and staff retention was highly important to the shareholders. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research approach towards UK based private equity, investment, and synergistic buyers. This proved exceptionally successful, attracting 148 interested parties in total, the vast majority of these from UK trade.

KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to produce multiple offers. The final offer came from Mersey Industries, which is seeking ambitious growth, with the deal offering perfect synergy for further growth of the Group.

Director of Mersey Industries, Jeremy Rowson commented: “We’ve been on the lookout for a high-quality and well-run precision engineering company to enhance and extend our capabilities and MCE Engineering ticked all the right boxes for us.

“We are delighted to welcome the MCE team into the group and look forward to working with them.”

Nathan Leah, Associate Director at KBS Corporate, commented: “I am very pleased to have worked with the shareholders of MCE Engineering and to have facilitated the successful transaction with Mersey Industries. An excellent relationship was formed, and Mersey Industries showed intent and commitment from day one. I am very confident that the transaction will be an outstanding success for all parties.”

Robertson Cooper

Robertson Cooper is a business management consultancy that provides mental health and wellbeing support services for an enviable blue chip client base. Since the company’s inception in 1999 the company has experienced significant growth.

The shareholders of Robertson Cooper approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate the shareholders’ retirement plans. It became apparent during initial discussions it was important to the shareholders to source a buyer who could enable further growth.

The opportunity proved highly popular, attracting 34 interested parties which generated 5 offers. The ultimate offer came from handl Group, who previously acquired Reach Personal Injury Services Limited via KBS Corporate in January 2021. The Group has seen significant growth over the past 24 months with several acquisitions and new product launches including Autoresolutions, Tessa Gough & Associates, handl Engage, Limbic, Cogenthire and Mind Right.

handl Group CEO Graham Pulford commented: “We have been exploring this opportunity with Robertson Cooper for some time, and I am thrilled they have agreed to become part of handl Group.”

Professor Cary Cooper, Founder of Robertson Cooper said (on behalf of himself and fellow founder, Ivan Robertson): “Robertson Cooper has been a labour of love for me and my co-founder Ivan Robertson for the last 20 years – how time has flown! During those years great colleagues have done remarkable things for fantastic clients. Ivan and I are hugely grateful to all those involved and are proud of the positive impact Robertson Cooper has had on the world of work.

With all that in mind, I couldn’t be happier to be handing over the reins to handl Group. I’m confident they understand, respect and will retain what makes Robertson Cooper valued by so many clients, whilst also bringing new resources and insight to take the business to the next level. And it’s not farewell from Ivan and I; we’ll still be involved and are excited to be part of what comes next!”

Nathan Leah, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Robertson Cooper throughout the process.

Suretrans Limited

Suretrans Limited is a provider of LGV and HGV haulage and fleet solutions. The company was founded in 1997 and commenced trading, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients.

The shareholders of Suretrans Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable the retirement plans of the Managing Director. During initial discussions it became apparent that staff retention was highly important and had a clear impact on KBS Corporate’s research strategy. This approach proved highly popular attracting 41 interested parties, with high levels of interest coming from investment firms and private investors.

KBS Corporate was able to produce three offers with the successful offer coming from, UK trade Banyan Supply Chain Solutions. Banyan Supply Chain Solutions is currently pursuing a growth via acquisition strategy. The acquisition will enable staff retention and increase Banyan Supply Chain Solutions’ geographic coverage across the home counties.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Suretrans Limited throughout the process.

The Jenrick Group

The Jenrick Group is a successful and well-established provider of high-quality, client-focused recruitment solutions, trading for over 50 years and establishing a prominent presence in the engineering, food, technology, and commercial sectors. The Group benefits from a diverse client base which includes multiple blue-chip organisations who have remained with The Jenrick Group for over 15 years.

Simon Murphy, the majority shareholder of The Jenrick Group, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of the Group to enable him to pursue alternative business interests. During initial discussions it became apparent that staff retention and the continued growth of the Group was of critical importance to any transaction.

Due to this, KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on sourcing a trade buyer. This proved highly successful with 64 interested parties, including high levels of UK trade with some interest from both private investors and private equity. KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to produce multiple offers.

The ultimate offer came from The MCG Group, led by Colm McGinley, and acts as their second acquisition via KBS Corporate. The MCG Group are currently following a proactive acquisitions strategy. The acquisition of The Jenrick Group will enable The MCG Group to expand their geographic footprint into the Midlands and the South East of England and add serval specialisms to their group.

Post-acquisition, key staff will remain with the Group including a minority shareholder who will remain for the foreseeable.

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised The Jenrick Group throughout the process, while legal advice was provided by Lawrence Stephens, and accounting advice from Parker Cavendish.

Guy Haynes commented: “It was a genuine pleasure to work with Simon Murphy and his team on this deal, and I’m delighted that we have been able to help deliver a good deal that ensures continuity within the business as well as providing Simon with a well-earned exit. From an early stage, MCG looked the strongest prospect, with many shared values and ambitions.”

CDA Care Limited

CDA Care Limited is the wholly owned subsidiary of Rangecliff Limited, providing high-quality care services to older persons and younger adults within South Wales. Over the years the company has developed client relationships with multiple local authorities.

The shareholders of CDA Care Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

A key point that arose during initial discussions was that the shareholders were keen to enable further growth of CDA Care Limited post acquisition, consequently it became apparent that a trade buyer would be preferable.

The opportunity attracted impressive levels of trade interest whilst also drawing interest from private equity and investment, resulting in a total of 47 interested parties.

The successful offer came from Grosvenor Health & Social Care, Helen Baker, National Operations Director stated: “This acquisition marks an excellent opportunity to continue our growth in Wales by purchasing an excellent business which core focus has and will continue to remain delivering the highest quality care to its service users. We would like to thank Dave, Ceri and Amrita for their support throughout the process and wish them all the best for the future.”

Dave Howells, the exiting shareholder of CDA Care added: “After an extensive review of all interested parties, it was clear Grosvenor Health & Social Care was the most suited in terms of both their core ethos of delivering a quality service and ability to fulfil the potential of this magnificent Company and team I leave behind.”

Darren Stapelberg, CEO of Grosvenor Health & Social Care goes on to comment on the deal: “Following the recent investment of Weight Partners Capital into Grosvenor Health & Social Care, we are delighted to have completed this deal so quickly after. This is a clear sign of the underlying support they place in the Grosvenor team, and it is certainly an exciting time for this Partnership as we move forward into 2022.”

CDA Care Limited was advised by Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director.

Custom Security Services Limited

Custom Security Services Limited, trading as Custom Fire and Security, is a highly regarded, independent organisation, providing installation and maintenance services for fire detection and security solutions. The company was established in 1985 and has seen considerable growth since, which has been supported by an enviable long-standing client base.

Paul and Lee Staff, the shareholders of Custom Fire and Security, approached KBS Corporate to enable their exit from the business to pursue alternative interests.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which attracted in 47 interested parties. The vast majority of interest came from UK trade buyers, although some came from private equity buyers. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this interest to produce four competing offers.

The ultimate offer came from UK trade buyer Churches Fire & Security as part of the company’s geographical expansions.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Custom Fire and Security throughout the process.

Project Design Engineers Limited

Project Design Engineers Holdings Limited, Project Design Engineers Limited and Project Design Engineers (Ireland) Limited is a leading multidisciplinary engineering, design and project management consultancy that provides a range of services from front-end engineering through to turnkey project solutions. The Group was founded in 1989 and has established an excellent reputation with an enviable portfolio of blue-chip clients within the gas industry.

The shareholders of the Group instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in 46 interested parties. High levels of interest came from UK based buyers, with notable interest from the international market.

The final offer came from Ireland based Fingleton White as part of their geographic expansion plans.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised the Group throughout the process.

McLeod Cabins Limited

McLeod Cabins Limited is an independent provider of site accommodation services for a large client base across the construction and industrial market sectors.

The company was established in 1965 and over the years has developed a loyal customer base that provides repeat custom.

The shareholders of McLeod Cabins Limited, Glen and Anthony McLeod, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in the predominantly UK trade interest. The successful offer came from Rentacabin Limited in order to enable the company to expand their current offerings.

McLeod Cabins Limited was advised by Luke Rae, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, who commented: “I believe it is a fantastic deal for all involved and Glen and Anthony will go into retirement knowing the company is well looked after.”

Carradice of Nelson

Carradice of Nelson Limited is a manufacturer of hard-wearing, attractive bicycle bags which caters to commercial and private customers worldwide. The company was first established in the 1920’s and has spread across the North West. The current shareholders, David and Janet Chadwick, acquired Carradice of Nelson Limited in 1995.

Having been with the business for several years, David and Janet instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

During initial discussions it became apparent that finding a buyer who would enable further growth was vital to the shareholders. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy which resulted in 22 interested parties and proved highly popular with UK trade buyers.

The final offer came from Aquapac International Ltd, and the acquisition will enable the company to expand their market offerings. Aquapac International Ltd is keen to enable further growth of Carradice of Nelson. Post completion the shareholders will retain an equity stake within the new group.

Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, George Barnes, advised Carradice of Nelson. 

Micronics Flow Measurement

Micronics Flow Measurement manufactures liquid flow measurement devices for a variety of sectors. The company was established in 1985 and over the years has developed an excellent reputation. Micronics benefits from a diverse client base including international clients, and others who have remained with the company for over 25 years.

After over 30 years the shareholders approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement and exit plans.

A diverse research strategy was implemented by KBS Corporate resulting in 26 interested parties. The successful offer came from UK trade buyer British Rototherm. The acquisition will act as a bolt on to Rototherm’s current operations and is part of the company’s current growth strategy via acquisition.

Nathan Leah, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Micronics throughout the process.

Atherton & Partners Limited

Atherton & Partners Limited is a well-established provider of mechanical and electrical building services that work primarily on commercial projects from small refurbishments through to major new-build construction projects. The company was established in 1981 and has developed a reputation for excellence which has ensured Atherton & Partners Limited has maintained some client relationships for over 20 years.

The shareholders of Atherton & Partners Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in 42 interested parties, the majority of whom came from UK trade buyers. The successful offer came from Business Delta Limited.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Atherton & Partners Limited throughout the process.

Harvest Systems Support

Harvest Systems Support, which trades as Raycon, is a leading IT consultancy, operating in the financial and media sectors and working with a wide range of clients to deliver a first-class service. The company is based in London and has clients across London and the South East, the majority of whom provide repeat and reliable custom.

The shareholders of Raycon approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans. During initial discussions it became apparent that the shareholders wished to retain as much of the company identity as possible, including staff retention.

This shaped KBS Corporate’s highly successful research strategy which resulted in 162 interested parties being identified. KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to produce a competitive bidding process.

The ultimate offer came from Portuguese based Eurotux, as part of their international expansion plans.

Following completion the current shareholders will remain with the company, in order to enable a three-month handover consultancy period.

Raycon was advised by Corporate Deal Executive Matthew Sibley at KBS Corporate.

The Educational Guidance Service Limited

The Educational Guidance Service Limited is an independent provider of psychological services based in the North of England, which predominantly operates within the education sector, conducting assessments in universities. The company was founded in 2003 and over the years has developed multiple strong, long-standing relationships.

The shareholders of The Educational Guidance Service Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

During initial discussions it became apparent that a knowledgeable buyer who was able to continue to grow the company, whilst enabling staff and client retention was of high importance to the shareholders. This resulted in KBS Corporate implementing a research strategy that focussed primarily on trade.

This approach proved highly popular resulting in 54 interested parties being identified, the vast majority of which came from UK trade. KBS Corporate was able to produce a highly competitive bidding process which generate five offers. The ultimate offer came from E-Quality Learning Limited, trading as eQS, a UK based trade buyer. The Group has been following a highly intensive acquisition progress and this acquisition marks eQS’ third in ten months.

Andy Gough, chief executive of eQS, commented “The past couple of years have not only seen a global health crisis but also an awakening regarding inclusion and acceptance of individuals identifying with a cognitive disability. This has created an even bigger demand for cognitive disability assessments within both the educational and workplace settings.”

The Educational Guidance Service Limited founder Alex Griffiths said: “The eQS team stood out as down to earth people who understood what we were about and demonstrated a clear passion for looking after the EGS brand and developing it in the ‘EGS way’. There was a synergy between our business culture and values, and a very obvious desire to look after the exceptional team who have helped us create this legacy of doing good and unlocking potential.”

The Educational Guidance Service Limited was advised by Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, throughout the process.

Post completion The Educational Guidance Service Limited’s senior management team led by Karen Jones and Jane Goldthorpe will remain with the business.

Delcor Ltd

Delcor Ltd is a manufacturer and retailer of bespoke furnishings for a range of clients across the UK. Founded in 1967, the company has established an excellent reputation within its sector. This is supported by Delcor Ltd being awarded the Manufacturing Guild Mark.

Having built the business for several years, the company shareholders, Enrico Petini and Janet Petini, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate was able to identify 50 interested parties which came predominately from trade, with some interest generated from Private Equity buyers. Succession Ltd made the final offer, as a part of the firms build and buy strategy. It is thought this will be the first of many acquisitions for Succession Ltd and could led to further bolt on acquisitions.

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Delcor Ltd throughout the process.

Grahams Machinery Sales Limited

Grahams Machinery Sales Limited is a respected provider of engineering, industrial and welding supplies. The company was established in 1976 and overtime has developed a loyal client base with several clients remaining with the company over 40 years.

Having built up a strong and successful business, the shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

During initial discussions it became apparent that sourcing a trade buyer that would support staff development and further business growth was highly important. This knowledge shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy which developed a primary focus on UK trade buyers. This proved highly successfully and resulted in 21 interested parties being identified.

United Tooling Solutions, which is part of Troy (UK) Limited, produced the successful offer. United Tooling Solutions has been pursuing a growth via acquisition strategy which has included the acquisition of M.O.L Tooling & Accessories, ABT Machine Tools & Tooling Ltd, Kalem Ltd and Barnes JB Ltd.

KBS Corporate Finance Associate Corporate Director, Tom Eatough, advised Grahams Machinery Sales Limited throughout the process and commented: “Founded 45 years ago, the Graham’s brothers and their father have built a fantastic business, with a loyal client base and a great reputation in the market. I am pleased that we managed to find a buyer that is not only a great fit, but also recognises the strong family values in the business and is keen to build on the Graham’s success.”

Wavehill IT Solutions Limited

Wavehill IT Solutions Limited provides IT skills and knowledge to SMEs in the Greater London area. The company was established in 2001 and has developed strong client relationships with approximately 64% of whom have monthly contracts for IT support.

Wavehill IT Solutions Limited’s three shareholders, David Barker, Richard Brooks and Mark Willis, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable the retirement of the latter two.

During initial discussions it became apparent that retention of the current staff and existing operations were highly important to the shareholders. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy resulting in a primary focus on trade buyers. The opportunity attracted 101 interested parties with impressive levels of interest coming from UK trade buyers, which remained prevalent throughout the process. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this interest to produce four competing offers.

The successful offer came from Network Communications Group. The group has a global presence operating within Europe and Asia as well as benefiting from a blue-chip client base.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Wavehill IT Solutions Limited throughout the process.

The IASME Consortium

The IASME Consortium, the UK’s leading cyber security certification provider, has been acquired in a multi-million deal by Phenna Group.

Headquartered in Nottingham UK, Phenna Group invest and partner with selected niche, independent Testing, Inspection, Certification and Compliance (TICC) companies that serve a variety of sectors, ensuring customers’ peace of mind by delivering first class assurance services.

IASME, founded in 2012, work alongside a network of over 260 Certification Bodies across the UK and Crown Dependencies to help certify organisations of all sizes in both cyber security and counter fraud.  IASME is committed to helping businesses improve their cyber security, risk management and governance through an effective and accessible range of certification schemes.

KBS Corporate Finance, led by Mughees Saleem, advised the shareholders and CEO of IASME, Emma Philpott, on the sale. Mughees commented: “Emma has built an immensely successful company in IASME. Having achieved significant commercial growth since inception, Emma was looking for the right investment partner to assist IASME in the next stages of its journey. The deal with Phenna Group was the most appropriate vehicle to meet these requirements as it gave IASME an experienced partner that aligns with it’s culture and ambitious growth plans.”

Emma Philpot, CEO and shareholder of IASME commented: “Mughees did a fantastic job in guiding us through the sale process. He was extremely patient with my lack of knowledge about the process, was available 24/7 and represented our position really well. The shareholders were very happy with the overall deal that he managed to deliver, and we could not recommend him highly enough”.

EiB Group Limited

EiB Group Limited is a leading provider of specialist strategic work which caters to a diverse blue-chip client base across the UK and Europe. The company was founded in 1992 and commenced trading, rapidly establishing a prominent presence within the infrastructure and wider construction sectors, as well as building relationships with large tier one contractors and consultants and a reputation for success.

During initial discussions with KBS Corporate, it became apparent that it was important to find a buyer who could support the company to continue its growth plan. This led to KBS Corporate implementing a research strategy focussing primarily on UK and overseas synergistic buyers, predominately within the professional services sector, but also included a select number of financial buyers This approach resulted in 25 interested parties being identified and two competitive offers.

The successful offer came from an integrated environmental, engineering and technical services business, RSK Group. The acquisition acts as part of RSK’s continued growth via a buy & build strategy.

Alan Ryder, RSK CEO said, “For the past few years, RSK has been working towards an ambitious 2025 strategy that aims to strengthen the company’s position as a leading integrated environmental, engineering and technical services business.”

Scott Brown, CEO of EiB, added: “I am incredibly optimistic about what this acquisition will mean for the team at EiB. By joining the RSK group, we can accelerate the growth of the business, explore new markets and target larger contracts, all while staying committed to the ‘EiB way’ of working.” Scott Brown also commented on the role of KBS Corporate Finance during the process: “Would never have got over the line without you. A real pleasure. If you want someone to provide reference or speak to future potential clients, please feel free to use me.”

Tom Eatough, KBS Corporate Finance Associate Corporate Director, advised EiB throughout and commented: “EIB is a fantastic business and I am really pleased that we managed to find such a well-suited buyer.  RSK will provide a platform for the business to continue growing and I am sure i it will be a great success for both parties.”

Post-acquisition EiB Group will retain their current branding and will adhere to their core values and ways of working. The active shareholders will also retain their positions EiB post completion, along with key members of staff.

Golfsupport.co.uk Limited

Golfsupport.co.uk Limited is a highly regarded, independent organisation, providing a comprehensive range of high-quality golf equipment and merchandise. The company has experienced significant growth since its inception in 2003, with the strength of its extensive product range and highly dedicated workforce providing an ideal platform from which to pursue further expansion.

The shareholders, John Lines, Michelle Lines and Gary Swift, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to pursue a lifestyle change.

KBS Corporate implemented a highly successful research strategy which produced 51 interested parties from both trade and private equity buyers.

The successful offer came from overseas trade buyer PGC backed by private equity firm Inspiring Sport Capital. The private equity firm has offices in Paris and London and specialises in the sports industry and economy. The group consists of over 20 leading investors who invest in a wide range of sports-based opportunities. PGC Group aims to double its turnover in 2021 and cross the threshold of €30 million in revenue given these external growth operations and the strong resilience of the golf market in Europe.

Guy Haynes, KBS Corporate Finance Corporate Director advised Golfsupport.co.uk Limited throughout the process, with legals being provided by Nick Life and Nicola Bilner from TLT.

John Lines, CEO at Golfsupport.co.uk, says: “We are delighted to become part of the growing PGC Group. Our mission has always been to provide a one stop shop for players and professionals and this will ensure that we can continue to achieve this goal. We are grateful to TLT for their advice and professionalism, and for working seamlessly with the parties to complete the deal.”

Guy Haynes, KBS Corporate Finance corporate director, adds: “From the outset, it was clear that PGC were an extremely strong fit, who shared our clients’ beliefs and ambitions for Golfsupport. John, Michelle and Gary have built an outstanding business with a high-class reputation in the growing golf industry, and I am delighted that they have been well rewarded for their efforts. Good deals require good people and it has been an absolute pleasure to work with them, as well as the team from TLT, on this transaction.”

Richard Life, partner at TLT who led the team, says: “We’re continuing to see overseas interest in businesses that have secured a strong foothold in the UK and European markets. This is a great way for many companies to take their growth to the next level, and we are delighted to have been able to support Golfsupport.co.uk on this major milestone.”

BIST Group

BIST Group is a highly regarded provider of IT hardware, software and infrastructure services, offering both new and refurbished solutions to organisations operating across a variety of industry sectors. Since the company’s inception in 2003 the business has developed an excellent reputation becoming an accredited provider to Dell, ESET, HP, Lenovo and Microsoft.

The shareholders of BIST Group, led by MD Keith Petty, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate was able to identify over 50 interested parties, the majority of whom came from trade. In a competitive bidding process involving 4 parties, the successful offer came from Tactus Group, and this deal marks their third acquisition of the year. BIST Group will enable Tactus to diversify their service offerings and expand geographically.

Scott Brenchley, CEO at Tactus Group, said: “This is another important development for Tactus Group and the latest step on our journey to becoming a globally recognised computing group. The acquisition of BIST significantly increases our capabilities in the IT hardware space, and we’re looking forward to welcoming its experienced team into the fold.”

Keith Petty, founder and MD at BIST, said: “I am delighted to be part of the Tactus Group, having built up the company over the last 18 years. The business and the people mean a lot to me and finding the perfect home for the company was paramount in my decision. We all look forward to the years ahead as part of this fantastic group.”

BIST Group was advised by Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, throughout the process.

Saber Diamond Products Limited

Saber Diamond Products Limited specialises in the supply of a diverse range of diamond cutting and drilling products and accessories for the construction and hire industries, and also provides a bespoke manufacturing service using state-of-the-art German production facilities. Established in 1995, Saber was formed by Robert and Denise Huxley. The Company merged with Impact Diamond Tools in 2001, acquiring its assets and therefore facilitating expansion of the business.

After 26 years in the business, Robert and Denise Huxley approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans. During initial discussions it became apparent that the continuity for the staff, client base and company legacy was important to the shareholders. Due to these factors KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on UK trade buyers.

The approach attracted 27 interested parties, which predominately consisted of trade with some investment buyers. The successful offer came from Abracs Limited, a UK trade buyer based in Yorkshire. The acquisition acts as part of Abracs Limited’s growth via acquisition strategy and will enable the company to increase their market share and client base.

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Saber Diamond Products Limited throughout.

Fisher Group

Fisher Group is a well-established and reliable provider of quality air conditioning installation and maintenance services for clients based in Scotland, operating across a broad range of sectors and earning an excellent reputation. The company was founded in 1974 and commenced trading, originally operating under the name of Fisher Group Scotland Limited as a subsidiary of Fisher Group Limited, a Birmingham-based air conditioning contractor.

Having grown the business over the course of 47 years, the shareholders of Fisher Group, Robert Hailstones and James McLaughlin approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate was able to produce 30 interested parties which primarily consisted of UK trade buyers, with additional overseas trade and private equity interest. The final offer came from Ireland based Johnson Controls. The acquisition will enable Johnson Controls to expand their geographic reach into Scotland, with a strong focus on a synergistic bond between both companies.

Following completion, Fisher Group and Johnson Control will identify where the combined strengths of the two organisations can best be used to offer customers in Scotland, both present and future, the highest level of service. During this period the Fisher Group name will be retained.

Michael Anderton, General Manager for HVAC at Johnson Controls UK&I commented: “We are delighted to announce that we have now completed the acquisition of Fisher Group. Fisher Group is one of the leading HVAC companies in Scotland, with an enviable reputation and customer base. We are excited to be working with the talented team of HVAC professionals from Fisher Group and combining the strengths of both companies to better serve both existing and new customers.”

James McLaughlin, Managing Director of the Fisher Group, commented “This deal is an extremely important milestone and will achieve a key objective within Fisher Group and Johnson Controls’ strategy for growth. We believe with Fisher Group and Johnson Controls joining forces, it creates a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to provide a high level of services to our valued clients and will enable us to further expand on client support and delivery by offering a broader range of services.”

Nathan Leah, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Fisher Group throughout the process.

Admiral Wealth Management

Admiral Wealth Management offers comprehensive investment and pension advice. The company benefits from a large client base, the majority of whom provide reliable, repeat business on an ongoing basis. Admiral Wealth Management has an excellent reputation which has been developed since 1989.

The shareholders of Admiral Wealth Management instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to allow them to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in 54 interested parties being identified with the majority coming from UK trade buyers. The successful offer came from Kingswood, a fully integrated wealth and investment management group that operates internationally.

David Lawrence, UK CEO at Kingswood, commented on the deal: “Since becoming UK CEO at the turn of the year, I have focussed on building momentum in the business and expanding our capabilities to integrate and grow. Our focus on enhancing the client experience is paying dividends and I am delighted that we now have approaching GBP200 million in our internal MPS. I am thrilled to announce our first acquisition under my leadership and look forward to welcoming Mike Biggin, Adam Harrison, and the Admiral team to Kingswood. Admiral is a highly regarded provider of financial advisory services in North Lincolnshire and Yorkshire having consistently delivered a high-quality service to clients for over 30 years.

“The Kingswood model is designed to provide a centralised, efficient support infrastructure to manage the routine, but time consuming tasks required across compliance, finance, human resources, risk and technology, allowing the Admiral team to deliver a superior level of service to their clients. I am delighted that Mike and Adam have agreed to stay with the business as it enters a new phase as part of the Kingswood Group and I very much look forward to working with them.”

Annie Shiel, KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, advised Admiral Wealth Management.

All-UK Adjusters

All-UK Adjusters is a nationwide loss adjusting and claims management company, with an established, long standing client base within the UK insurer, broker and self-insured market. The long-established company has earned market recognition in the provision of a bespoke claims handling service to several blue-chip clients.

James Armson and Pauline Armson, the shareholders of All-UK Adjusters, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to pursue their retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted high levels of interest from UK trade buyers resulting in three offers. The ultimate offer came from QuestGates, an independently owned loss adjusting company. The acquisition marks QuestGates’ third acquisition of 2021.

QuestGates Managing Director Chris Hall commented: “We have achieved consistent and substantial growth since our incorporation back in 2003 by remaining true to our founding principles of combining technical expertise with a focus on customer service in niche, specialist areas. While our growth has primarily been achieved organically, we have made and will continue to make strategic acquisitions where we identify businesses that share our culture and focus on innovation and service delivery. All-UK met those criteria in spades and will undoubtedly add to our existing expertise and client base.”

All-UK Managing Director, James Armson commented: “We wanted to find a new owner who shared our ethos, who would value the additional expertise that our team could bring to their existing team of professionals, as well as enabling us to enhance our service offering to our clients. The fact that all of our staff and clients have embraced the change with such enthusiasm confirms that we have made the right decision to become part of QuestGates.”

Following the acquisition James Armson will remain with the All-UK Adjusters.

All-UK Adjusters was advised by KBS Corporate.

Rosse Systems Limited

Rosse Systems Limited is a reputable, independent organisation, supplying and installing a comprehensive range of fire alarms and security systems. The company maintains strong, long-standing relationships with its clients, several of which span over 25 years. Rosse Systems Limited has received a number of industry-standard accreditations and has been formally awarded ISO 9001:2015 certification, highlighting its dedication to delivering a high standard of work across all projects.

The shareholders of Rosse Systems Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

During initial discussions it also became apparent that the shareholders were keen to also enable further company growth whilst protecting the current client base and staff. This led KBS Corporate to implement a research strategy with a primary focus on sourcing a UK trade buyer.

This approach attracted 59 interested parties, the majority of whom came from UK trade buyers. This led to 6 offers with interest from trade and investment. The successful offer came from Checkmate Fire Solutions Limited, a passive fire protection specialist. The acquisition will enable Checkmate Fire Solutions Limited additional growth and expansion of product offering to include fire alarms, emergency lighting, CCTV, intruder alarms, access control, call systems, wireless systems, alarm monitoring, fire extinguishers and fire risk assessments.

Rosse Systems Limited was advised by KBS Corporate Associate Director, Fabio Rambelli.

Americandy Inc Limited

Americandy Inc Limited is an importer of American snacks and drinks to the UK and European market. Due to the wide spread of the company’s client base, they utilise a network of couriers and freight forwarders to offer quick deliveries and exceptional customer service. Americandy Inc Limited has experienced considerable growth since its foundation, with the strength of its workforce, products and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a long-standing client base.

The shareholders of Americandy Inc Limited, Damian and Grazyna Curzon-Price, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

Following initial discussions, KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy with a primary focus on sourcing a UK trade buyer. This proved highly popular with 78 interested parties being identified. The majority of whom came from trade with notable interest also coming from private equity and investment buyers.

KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to generate five trade offers. The successful offer came from SKG Acquisitions, who invest primarily in chain services, wholesale and distribution, manufacturing and technology. The acquisition will enable SKG Acquisition to strengthen their presence within the market.

Americandy Inc Limited was advised by Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, throughout the process.

SARN Technologies

SARN Technologies is a managed service provider that offers a wide range of IT support and development services. The company has a diverse client base, many of whom have been with the business since its inception. 

Having built up SARN Technologies over the course of 13 years, the shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable their retirement plans.

SARN Technologies attracted a wide range of interest from 95 interested parties which resulted in 9 offers predominately from trade with some interest from investment. The ultimate offer came from Razorblue as part of their plans to grow their geographic footprint.

Dan Kitchen, Chief Executive of Razorblue, commented: “We’re excited to have expanded our business further into Scotland. While our roots are in the North of England, our client base is located throughout the UK. It makes sense to acquire a business that is already doing what we do, but in a different location. Our shared experience of 30 years and alignment of values will ensure this is a seamless transition with minimal disruption to ongoing commitments and service levels.”

Graeme Scott, SARN Managing Director, said: “This acquisition is set to be a perfect blend of technical synergies, fitting with our aspirations for the future. I can say with confidence that Razorblue aligns with our values, and they too lead with a customer-centric approach to business. There will now be a more extensive range of services available to our valued customers, as well as career progression opportunities for the technical team.”

SARN was advised by KBS Corporate Associate Director, Nathan Leah.

Silkstone Environmental

The company is a multidisciplined consultancy, specialising in several sectors including mineral, waste management, site investigation and surveying. The company was formed in 2000 and over the years has developed an excellent reputation which enables the business to generate its sales via word-of-mouth referrals.

The shareholders approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to allow further growth under new ownership.

Silkstone Environmental attracted 27 interested parties and 2 offers. The successful offer came from Constructions Testing Solutions Ltd as part of their ongoing growth via acquisition strategy and was backed by Palatine Private Equity. CTS Ltd recently completed the sale of CGL Limited in November 2020 and Nicholls Colton Group in early 2021.

Phil Coles, CEO of CTS said: “This latest acquisition supports our overall growth strategy and focus on delivering market leading construction testing and consulting solutions to our clients. It further strengthens our position in the UK construction testing and consulting market and provides numerous synergies and opportunities that benefit both CTS and our clients.”

Managing Director of Silkstone Environmental, Mark Barrett, will remain with the company and commented on the deal: “I’m delighted to be continuing with Silkstone as Managing Director and supporting the administrative integration process along with future growth of the combined business. Together, we can offer customers a wider range of services, helping to reinforce CTS’s position as a leading provider of construction testing and consultancy services in the UK.”

Silkstone Environmental was advised by KBS Corporate throughout the process.

Dunwood Polymer Services Limited

Dunwood Polymer Services Limited specialises in the distribution of water-based polymer dispersions. The Yorkshire based company has over 25 years’ experience.

The successful offer came from Richard Baker Harrison Ltd, part of the OBG Group. Since 2017, OBG Group has been following growth strategy via acquisitions which is supported by a £27.3m investment package from HSBC. The acquisition will see the creation of a new company Dunwood Specialities Limited.

Peter Stanton, Owner of Dunwood Polymers commented: “We are very excited by RBH’s acquisition and the opportunity it creates to deliver on our customers’ requirements. I am delighted to be part of a team whose entrepreneurial spirit means we will work together to offer a wider portfolio of materials and more efficient supply chains to help us focus on service and broaden our innovation horizons.”

Martin Cicognani, Managing Director of RBH commented: “This investment provides us with a wider scope for future-focused development and a strong customer base for our products and services that will help to inspire change across our specialist markets. We are excited to launch Dunwood Specialities as part of the RBH Group and look forward to its immediate contributions to our success together.”

Following the acquisition Peter Stanton and Stacey Turner, of the Dunwood management team, will remain. This is will enable the underlining the commitment of both organisations to create added value for customers and stakeholders.

Dunwood Polymers was advised by Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director, throughout the process.

Souter Reputation Management Consultancy Limited

Souter Reputation Management Consultancy Limited, trading as Souter PR, is an award-winning public relations agency specialising in the development of effective media relations and content strategy campaigns for SMEs.

Sue and Roger Souter, the shareholders of Souter PR, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable further growth of the business.

KBS Corporate implemented a nationwide research strategy pursuing both trade and private equity investors. The opportunity saw high levels of trade interests with 30 interested parties being identified.

The successful offer came from Hampshire based Jargon PR who provides bespoke public relations campaigns to primarily business to business clients. This marks Jargon PR’s second acquisition within 12 months, as the company seeks to expand its geographic footprint, with the acquisition in both Wales and the North of England. The company has developed an excellent reputation winning four awards in 2020.

Sue Souter, Managing Director at Souter PR, commented: “After working closely with the Jargon PR team over the last few months, we’re excited to officially merge with the agency.

“Simon and his team strive to create national and international PR campaigns that support businesses in achieving their objectives, and we’re confident they’re the perfect partner for us.”

Simon Corbett, CEO at Jargon PR, added: “The team at Souter PR brings with them impressive experience and contacts, as well as a client base of exciting and innovative businesses across the technology and business-to-business market.

“Manchester was recently named the fastest-growing tech hub in Europe. Today’s acquisition will place the Jargon PR team at the heart of this incredible community, aligning the agency with the UK Government’s ‘levelling up agenda’ that continues to drive growth, investment and innovation across the region.”

Leo Freschini, KBS Corporate Deal Executive, advised Souter PR throughout the process and commented on the deal: “I’m delighted for all parties, from day one these companies seemed an ideal fit and I’m looking forward to seeing how Jargon and Souter continue to develop.”

Post completion both Sue and Roger will remain with Souter in Senior Management roles to utilise their wealth of experience in the industry.

Flair Developments Limited

Flair Developments Limited is a one-stop provider of effective fire prevention services, specialising in the installation of fire doors, fire alarms and fire stopping products for clients based across London and South East England. The company was founded in 2008 and commenced trading, quickly establishing itself within its sector and building up relationships with new clients.

Bob Wilkinson and Antony Monk, the shareholders of Flair Developments, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business. To facilitate the retirement of Bob and to continue growth under the impetus of a new ownership.

Flair Developments Limited proved highly popular with 55 interested parties being identified. The company went on to receive three offers, two from trade and one private equity. The successful offer came from Ansor Limited. The acquisition will enable an expansion of their geographic coverage and enable the creation of a one-stop-shop service for any given building.

Matt Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Flair Developments and commented, “Ansor have been on an acquisition drive and have bought several good quality companies from KBS to help them fulfil their acquisition strategy and allow our clients the exit they seek.”

Tellemachus Limited

Tellemachus is a long-standing provider of IT technology solutions with an enviable blue-chip client base. The Company has extensive experience of protecting classified Government information and providing cyber security solutions that comply to international standards such as Cyber Essentials & ISO 27001.

The company was formed by Matt and Peter Wood, who are now offering the business for sale to enable growth under the guidance of a new owner.

The opportunity attracted an impressive 135 interested parties, this included buyers trade and private equity from both the UK and overseas. This resulted in seven competing offers.

The final offer came from Bedroq Limited the shareholders of the company has a clear acquisition via growth strategy. The acquisition will see Bedroq Limited expand their geographic footprint from London to Glasgow, as well as adding to their service offerings.

Managing Director of Bedroq, Edward Armitage, commented: “We have taken a careful approach in selecting the right company to join Bedroq, ensuring that both businesses would benefit and ultimately excel together. Our objective has always been to find a like-minded team that bring additional skills and wisdom to Bedroq. We think we’ve found that in Matt and Peter and the team at Tellemachus.”

Post-acquisition Managing Director Peter Wood, along with CTO Matt Wood, will remain with the business to facilitate a smooth transitional period.

Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, Matthew Sibley, advised Tellemachus throughout the process.

The Filter Design Company Limited

The Filter Design Company is a specialist designer and manufacturer of filters and automation systems, priding itself on offering comprehensive filtration solutions to a diverse international client base. The company has an excellent reputation winning the St Helens Chamber Small Business of the Year award and came runner up as Exporter of the Year for 2019.

The shareholders of The Filter Design Company, Phil and June Scott, approached KBS Corporate Finance to oversee the sale of their business in order to realise the value of their years of hard work and focus more on engineering challenges rather than the day to day running of an organisation.

The successful offer came from the United States-based Gentex Corporation. The Filter Design Company was already a supplier of Gentex Corporation providing a clear synergistic acquisition. Post completion, Phil Scott will remain with The Filter Design Company, all staff and sites will be retained with Gentex Corporation investing and expanding the current premises.

Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, Joe Norris, advised The Filter Design Company and commented: “The acquisition appears to be a perfect fit given the obvious synergies. Finalising and completing this deal was a prolonged and at-times difficult process that involved a lot of work on behalf of our clients, their solicitors and KBS Corporate Finance to get it over the line. However, it was well worth it in order to achieve an excellent outcome for all parties.”

Ingenieur Limited

Ingenieur Limited is a well-regarded precision engineering company supplying complex components to the aviation, defence, oil and gas industries. The company has experienced considerable growth since its inception, with its reputation for an exceptional service, knowledgeable workforce and high-quality products ensuring the continued strength of the business. Ingenieur Limited was established over 40 years ago and over this time has developed relationships with blue-chip clients which it has held for in excess of 20 years.

Stephen Hill and Dermot Mullins, the shareholders of Ingenieur Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business to enable them to pursue alternative, unrelated interests and a lifestyle change.

The opportunity attracted an impressive 70 interested parties, the majority of which came from UK and overseas trade buyers. This interest was able to produce three offers.

The successful offer came from G&J (CNC) Limited who specialises in CNC machines and tooling to produce small metallic components. The acquisition will enable G&J (CNC) Limited to expand their existing group of companies.

Leo Freschini, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Ingenieur Limited.

Jonathan Carey Design

Jonathan Carey Design specialises in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke furniture and specialist joinery solutions for new and refurbished commercial buildings. The company operates on a national basis with a diverse range of clients in the public and private sector. Jonathan Carey Design has developed a reputation for excellence and FSC, Constructionline Gold, Safe Contractor and Builders Profile certified.

Having built the business over the years, the shareholders approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable them to pursue unrelated business interests. During their initial discussions with KBS Corporate it was identified that an MBO was the preferred option, as the management team already had knowledge of the company and could ensure its ongoing success.

This led KBS Corporate to focus the research strategy on finding funding for the current management team in order to enable an MBO. The opportunity attracted four offers. The successful offer came from Caple who supported the current management team of Jonathan Carey Design with a long term, fully unsecured £5 million loan.

Sean Brophy, Capable Country Manager, commented “Jonathan Carey Design is a hugely impressive business, operating in a sector which is underserved by lenders. Working alongside KBS Corporate and the management team allowed us to really understand the key revenue drivers and growth opportunities for the business, and ultimately to support based on a genuine forward-looking, cashflow basis.”

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance, commented: “Jon Carey and Steve Draper have developed and grown a fantastic business over the past 18 years, and in recent years have developed a dynamic and diligent management team in their image. KBS Corporate Finance is delighted to have been able to collaborate with Caple and the team at Jonathan Carey Design in order to facilitate a good deal for the current shareholders, and a platform upon which the company can continue its highly impressive growth.”

Silven Recruitment

Silven Recruitment is a highly respected recruitment company that specialises in the supply of contract and permanent staff to the food and drinks manufacturing sector. Over the years the company has developed an excellent reputation with multiple blue-chip clients.

During the initial meeting it became clear that the shareholder was interested in pursuing an MBO, which would enable the majority shareholder, Ian Simkins, to leave the business with Jeremy Pierce, the current Managing Director, to take his place. 

KBS Corporate was able to secure funding from Close Brothers in order to back the MBO.

Post completion, Ian Simskins will remain with the business in order to ease the handover period.

Silven Recruitment was advised by Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate.

Caremore Services Limited

Caremore Services is a respected supplier of janitorial cleaning supplies, medical equipment and furniture for clients in the care home market. The company was founded in 2008 and has experienced considerable growth since. Caremore Services has established itself as a key provider within the North East of England, with some clients staying with the company for over eight years.

David Caley and Peter Moore, the shareholders of Caremore Services, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

During initial discussions it became clear that staff retention was highly important to the shareholders. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy with a primary focus being placed on a trade buyer within the UK. KBS Corporate was able to source 29 interested parties and negotiate two offers.

Trade buyer National Print Solutions made the offer that was accepted. The acquisition will see National Print Solutions expand their service offerings and continue to grow their group. This will also enable the retention of staff and David Caley and Peter Moore will remain with Caremore Services in order to facilitate a three-month handover period.

Jacob Lord, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Caremore Services and commented: “The acquisition of Caremore Services Limited will provide an excellent foothold for National Print Solutions to enter into the supply of care homes. This will introduce several cross-selling opportunities for their products, which will no doubt add value to their existing customers. All parties worked diligently to ensure the deal progressed and I’m thoroughly pleased that my client is now able to enjoy their retirement and wish National Print Solutions the best of luck with their new opportunity.”

Liver Plant and Tool Hire Limited

Liver Plant and Tool Hire is a well-established, independent provider of plant, machinery and tool hire and sales. The company was established in 2005 and over the years has continued to expand, earning an excellent reputation and establishing a prominent customer base, whilst also achieving several respected, industry-recognised certifications.

The shareholders of Liver Plant and Tool Hire, Peter Kay and Kim Herden, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a key focus on trade buyers, this resulted in 23 interested parties being identified.

The successful offer came from City Tool Hire Ltd, an established independent tool hire company that serves the construction industry in London and South East. The acquisition will enable City Tool Hire to expand their geographic footprint within the UK.

Lionel Burgess, Director at City Hire, commented: “We’re really pleased to be able to extend the City Hire service to major cities in the North West through this acquisition. The team at Liver Plant share many of our values at City Hire and we’re looking forward to serving more customers in this region.”

Jacob Lord Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised Liver Plant and Tool Hire throughout the process.

Swan Network Solutions

Swan Network Solutions provides complete IT support services for SMEs based across the North West of England. The company was established in 2004 and is based in Cheshire. Swan Network Solutions benefits from a highly skilled workforce who have enabled the company to establish an excellent reputation.

The company shareholders, Stephen Nicholls and Andrew Horrocks, instructed KBS Corporate in order to allow them to pursue unrelated business interests and to reassess their work life balance.

During KBS Corporate’s initial discussions with the shareholders it became clear that staff retention and the continuation of the brand were of high importance. This shaped KBS Corporate’s research strategy with a heavy focus on UK trade buyers, especially those within the managed service provider (MSP) market. The approach proved highly successful with 98 interested parties being identified, and three competing offers.

The ultimate offer came from Manchester based Tectrix Solutions. The company offers a client focused approach to IT and telecoms solutions to businesses throughout the UK. Established 19 years ago, Tectrix Solutions boasts an impressive 97% client retention rate. The acquisition will enable Tectrix Solutions to enter the MSP market. KBS Corporate was able to negotiate the retention of all current staff of Swan Network Solutions.

Les Mitty, Tectrix Solutions CEO, commented: “This acquisition has nearly doubled our size overnight,” he said. “We hope to have two more done within the next 20 months and I do not see why we cannot hit £10m.”

Jacob Lord, KBS Corporate Deal Executive, advised Swan Network Solutions throughout the process and commented: “The acquisition of Swan Network Solutions for Tectrix opens up many doors and allows Tectrix to enter into the lucrative MSP space, which will no doubt add value to their existing customers. COVID certainly made matters difficult, but with the resilience of the vendor and buyer we were able to achieve the goal set out. I worked closely with the solicitors to ensure the deal moved smoothly, but also to ensure that my client had a full understanding of what was happening at any given time, as it was their first transaction.”

Following completion, Stephen Nicholls and Andrew Horrocks will remain with the company to facilitate a handover period.

Tann Synchronome

Tann Synchronome provides a complete solution to fire and security requirements. The company designs, supplies and installs security systems, providing commissioning, verification and maintenance, post-installation. Tann Synchronome boasts an enviable client list with many blue-chip clients, the majority of whom provide reliable repeat business.

William Jones, William Heaven and Roger Sensier, the company shareholders, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

Tann Synchronome saw impressive levels of interest with 58 interested parties being identified. Tann Synchronome received five offers from a variety of sources including trade, MBI and investment buyers. The ultimate offer came from CDS who are currently pursuing a growth via acquisition strategy.

CDS Chairman Simon Cashmore commented: “Our buy and build strategy has a three-pronged approach. We aim to broaden our geographical reach, add service capability and expand our services in the compliance sector. Acquiring Tann Synchronome enables us to impact all three of these. It has an established reputation in the sector and gives us access to adjacent services and to new clients across the UK.”

Tann Synchronome Managing Director William Jones commented: “I am very pleased that the company will become part of the wider, dynamic and energetic CDS offering. Our combined clout and expertise should be of massive benefit to so many companies, schools, universities, office complexes and commercial operations.”

Tann Synchronome was advised by Matt Sibley Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate.

Automatic Engineers Limited

Leicestershire based Automatic Engineers Limited is a provider of subcontracted machining services. The company was established in 1965 and since then has developed relationships with a multitude of blue-chip clients across a range of sectors.

The shareholder of Automatic Engineers Limited, Steven Evans, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable them to realise their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in high levels of interests from both trade and investment buyers. The opportunity attracted 31 interested parties and seven offers.

The successful offer came from TGM Partners Limited. The private equity firm invests in multiple sectors specialising in the acquisition, transition and growth of owner-managed businesses.

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Automatic Engineers Limited throughout the process.

SYK Recruitment Specialists Ltd

SYK Recruitment Specialists Ltd is a national supplier of permanent healthcare recruitment. The company has an enviable client base with agreements in place with the NHS and multiple leading UK care groups. SYK Recruitment Specialists Ltd was founded in 2011 and has quickly established itself within the healthcare recruitment market.

KBS Corporate was approached by SYK Recruitment Specialists Ltd in order to facilitate the current shareholder’s, Gemma Hutchinson-Bennett, change of lifestyle.

The opportunity attracted primarily trade interest. The ultimate offer came from PSR Recruitment, a recruitment specialist who operates in a variety of markets. The acquisition enables the company to expand their healthcare operations.

PSR Managing Director James Sanders commented: “We are excited by this acquisition. SYK have a great name and reputation in the sector. Gemma and the team have done fantastically well over the last 10 years and have continually developed the business and are on all the major frameworks”

“They share the same values and work nationally which within our current infrastructure, aligns well to what PSR does in the construction industry.”

SYK Recruitment Specialists Ltd were advised by KBS Corporate Finance Corporate Director Guy Haynes.

Kiowa

Kiowa is an independent supplier of over 75,000 industrial products such as industrial hoses, hydraulics and couplings, serving a diverse customer base across the UK and overseas. The company was established in 1991 and has seen significant growth over the years. Kiowa benefits from a loyal customer base with several relationships spanning over ten years. Headquartered in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, the company has a great geographical spread across six depots throughout the UK.

Lisa Needham, the majority shareholder of Kiowa, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of her business due to changes in her personal circumstances. 

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy with interest coming from both trade and PE buyers.

Offers were received from 5 separate trade and Private Equity acquirers, with Italy based Alfagomma eventually being the successful party. KBS Corporate was initially able to secure an offer from Alfagomma prior to the pandemic; however, with Completion due in March 2020 this was delayed by the impact of Covid-19 in both countries. Once the situation began to stabilise KBS Corporate was able to progress the completion. Alfagomma is an international manufacturer of hydraulic and industrial fluid handling systems, with 3,915 employees across Europe, The Americas, Asia Pacific and Africa, and had an existing relationship with Kiowa as a supplier.

Guy Haynes, KBS Corporate Finance Corporate Director advised Kiowa throughout the process, with legals being provided by Ian Roberts and Nicola Bilner from TLT

“With the impact of Covid, this was a long journey to Completion which presented challenges to both parties.  However, the parties were able to maintain cordial relations during the covid period, which enabled us to close early in 2021.  The final offer was extremely attractive and offered a clean break to Lisa Needham, and with Alfagomma’s backing, the potential for Kiowa is enormous.  People make deals work and here, the good nature of Anthony Towers and Lisa Needham was critical to this deal succeeding, and I am genuinely delighted to have helped enable this deal to succeed.”

The deal sees Kiowa Managing Director Anthony Towers, who held a minority stake in Kiowa, remaining with the company in his current role.

Graybar Limited

Graybar Limited is a Railway electrical product specialist, manufacturing self-regulating point heating systems, mechanical cable accessories and signalling distribution systems. The company has developed strong client relationships over the years with multiple clients remaining with the business for over 20 years.

Graeme Ford and Susan Ford, the shareholders of Graybar Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable them to pursue unrelated business interests.

KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on trade. This resulted in 37 interested parties being identified and three competing offers. The successful offer came from Sweden based NIBE. The company manufactures energy-efficient and sustainable climate

solutions for domestic use. The acquisition will see Graybar Limited become part of Heatrod, NIBE’s UK division, and work closely with Denmark based San Electro heat, one of NIBE’s specialist rail divisions.

Graeme Ford commented, “I am delighted to see Graybar, a company I formed back in the early 1990’s, now being a valuable part of the NIBE Group. I also look forward to the future, continuing the growth of Graybar, using our strong product base in the rail industry, added together within the strength of the group to further enhance the business opportunities for us all. We have an exciting time ahead and my wife Susan and I are very much looking ahead in supporting the business activities.”

Simon Ellam, Managing Director of Heatrod, commented “At Heatrod Industrial we continue to build our portfolio of industrial heating products and services. Graybar fit our profile of engineered heating solutions and products with approvals and certifications that are well proven within the rail sector. We are looking forward to working with the wider NIBE group and our colleagues in Denmark to further develop our presence in the UK rail market.” Nathan Leah, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Graybar Limited

Reach Personal Injury Services Limited

Based in North Yorkshire, Reach Personal Injury Services Limited is a home and community-based rehabilitation service provider for patients with all levels of traumatic brain injuries. The company was established in 1994 and over the years has developed an enviable client base of well-established, reliable blue-chip companies.

The shareholders of Reach Personal Injury Services Limited, Heather Batey and Philip Feldman, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate one of the shareholder’s retirement plans.

The opportunity attracted a wide range of interest and KBS Corporate was able to identify 23 interested parties. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this interest to generate three competing offers. The ultimate offer came from FL360 Limited, trading as handl Group, a UK trade buyer who is currently pursuing a growth via acquisition strategy. The acquisition marks handl Group’s seventh since 2019.

Reach Personal Injury Services Ltd Managing Director, Heather Batey, said: “At Reach we believe that people who have experienced traumatic brain injuries deserve every possible chance to lead a normal life and re-acquire the kind of skills that many of us take for granted every day.

“After 27 years, I wanted to build the next step for the business. Graham shares my view of the opportunity for Reach, and I strongly believe that our joining handl Group will enable us to move forward so that the people we help have access to ever better rehabilitation.”

“handl Group’s core focus of people and technology working hand in hand fits our own business philosophy, and my expectation is that aligning Reach to the various brands within handl will enable us to significantly broaden our customer base, both within the insurance sector but also into other parts of the healthcare market.”

handl Group Chief Executive Officer, Graham Pulford, commented: “Reach represents a great addition to our portfolio of complementary businesses that together provide a wide range of solutions to the insurance and legal sectors.

“Reach’s experience and expertise ensure that people who have had the worst kind of injuries have the best possible opportunity to improve and restore their quality of life.

“I am confident Reach will make a very valuable contribution to handl’s aims and aspirations, and we’re looking forward to working with Heather (Batey) and her team as they continue to develop their services in the future.”

Andrew Dodd Corporate Director at KBS Corporate advised Reach Personal Injury Services Limited throughout the process.

Heather Batey will remain with the company post completion.

Key Management Systems Limited

Key Management Systems Limited is a specialist designer and manufacturer of access control systems, having established itself as the UK’s leading supplier of residential access control products and services.

Timothy Gregory, Alan Cooney and Timothy Rogers, the shareholders of Key Management Systems Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable them to pursue unrelated business interests.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in 58 interested parties being identified. The successful offer was from Midlands based CAME UK. The company is a well-established trade buyer who benefits from an international client base.

President of CAME S.p.A. Andrea Menuzzo commented: “KMS became a real target for CAME towards the end of 2019 where we were impressed with its solutions offered and state of the art cloud-based management system. CAME takes great pride in being at the forefront of both technology and connectivity and we soon found that KMS shared these exact same values.”

Managing Director of CAME UK, James Bostock said: “CAME UK is delighted to be able to welcome KMS into our CAME family and extremely grateful for the fantastic opportunity we have been granted by our corporate headquarters to further expand our UK operations into new market sectors alongside emerging product technologies that KMS will provide.”

“Working alongside the existing management team at KMS throughout the acquisition process we quickly realised that both CAME and KMS shared the same quality values that create a perfect starting block to look forward into how both companies can work together to improve our product offer, business operations and position in the market.”

Andrew Dodd, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Key Management Systems Limited throughout the process.

ABG Limited

ABG Limited design, develop and manufacture geosynthetic engineering products. The company was established in 1988 by Alan Bamforth and Elizabeth Bamforth, who were later joined by Peter Van Ruiten. Over the years the company has developed an excellent reputation and an impressive international client base.

The three shareholders of ABG Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business. The opportunity attracted interested from overseas and UK trade buyers.

The successful offer came from Belgium based BontexGeo Group, which is a portfolio company of private equity firm Nimbus. Following a number of years of successful trading between ABG Limited and BontexGeo, the purchaser, backed by Nimbus Private Equity identified that this opportunity would further strengthen their service offering and geographical foothold. In addition, the group inherit a strong brand within the space by bringing the ABG brand on-board.

Annie Shiel Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, commented “It was identified at the beginning of the process that ABG Limited had a strong and niche offering in their space and we quickly generated interest mostly from trade purchasers both UK and Internationally.

It has been a pleasure working with the shareholders to achieve the desired outcome and all involved strongly believe that we have found the right home for ABG to further flourish.”

ABG Limited Managing Director, Alan Bamforth commented: “Many thanks to you both for the unfading support. For me this is a once in a lifetime event – thank you for helping to make this special. I am more than happy to be joining a larger group and one that I feel will build on what Liz, Peter and I have created over 30 years.”

Rob van der Valk, managing director of BontexGeo, said: “This acquisition allows us to strengthen our position in the UK market and reinforces our commitment to invest in growth opportunities following the carve-out from Low & Bonar plc.”

Alan Bamforth will remain with ABG Limited as Managing Director post sale.

Vertemax Group Limited

Vertemax Group Limited are a group of companies specialising in work zone safety, providing a range of products and services including barriers and access solutions. The group was formed in 2010 and has developed a global client base with clients based in the UK, Europe and Canada.

The company shareholders, Gary Taylor, Michelle Taylor and John Hardy, approached KBS Corporate Finance with the sale of their business in order to allow them to spend more time with their families. It became clear during early meetings that staff retention and future growth were important considerations for the shareholders.

KBS Corporate Finance implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in strong overseas and trade investment. The opportunity attracted special interest from Germany and Sweden and generated three competing offers.

The successful offer came from Sweden-based Haki, which designs, develops and supplies safe, fast, and ergonomic temporary access and modular scaffolding solutions. The company has been established for over 60 years and is part of the Midway Holding AB group.

Haki’s CEO, Thomas Schüller, commented: “We have been in contact with Vertemax for a long time and it is very satisfying that we have been able to reach an agreement under the current circumstances.”

Gary Taylor founder and CEO of Vertemax stated: “We look forward to becoming a part of the Midway Holding group of companies. We see this as a strategically important step for us to be able to create more value for our customers. With our consolidated capabilities and resources, we are convinced that we will generate a stronger platform for future growth.”

Joe Norris, Associate Corporate Director for KBS Corporate Finance, advised Vertemax on this transaction.

STR Logistics

STR Logistics is a dedicated provider of logistics services, predominantly focusing on the delivery of items across South West England. Founded in 2000, the company has become well established within the delivery sector, and benefits from a loyal client base some of whom have been with the business for over 15 years.

Steve Richardson and Colette Richardson, the company shareholders, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to allow them to pursue new unrelated business interests. During initial discussions with the shareholders it became clear that they wished to maintain a sense of normality within the company. This informed KBS Corporate’s research strategy and allowed us to pursue a trade buyer, who would have existing knowledge of the sector.

This approach proved highly successful with 46 interested parties predominately from trade, with some interest from investment and private buyers. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this appetite to generate four competing offers.

The successful offer came from trade buyer 2020 Logistics Solutions. Whilst the company is relatively new it was established by Anthony Quinn and Peter Adams who have many years of experience in his previous business, Quinn Logistics Consultancy. 2020 Logistics Solutions commented:

“We are absolutely thrilled and delighted to have acquired STR which has an amazing and successful history providing professional transport logistics solutions from the heart of Devon. The company has an enviable footprint and scale from its’ location in the South West providing reliable, well executed, regional and national transport solutions to Logistics, Retail and Commercial customers.

We are now very much looking forward to the exciting journey ahead working with our new colleagues and much valued customers to take STR to the next level of development. We plan to expand our service portfolio and increase our geographic presence to serve our existing and future customers with ‘best in class’ tailored UK transport logistics, storage, and warehouse solutions.”

Following the sale Anthony Quinn and Peter Adams will become Joint Managing Directors of STR Logistics. Steve Richardson will be stepping away from the business but has accepted the honorary position as STR Lifetime Chairman.

STR Logistics was advised by Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, throughout the process.

Advance Security Limited

Advance Security Limited is a provider of security systems and fire alarms. From their headquarters in Cambridgeshire. The company was established in 1999 and has developed a loyal customer base throughout East Anglia. Over the years Advance Security Limited has seen considerable growth including the acquisition of a competitor in 2012, which enabled them to grow their client base to include two blue chip businesses.

Advance Security Limited’s shareholders, Paul Mantovani, Jeffery Sheppeard and Fiona Sheppeard approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate the retirement of one shareholder and prepare for the future exit of the other shareholders.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy with a primary focus on UK trade buyers. This was supported by the use of crossmatching and online advertising. The opportunity attracted no less than 76 interested parties. KBS Corporate was able to utilise this high level of interest to generate three competing offers. The successful offer came from New Path Fire and Security Ltd, a group specialising in fire and security compliance businesses. The group is actively seeking growth through acquisition, with Advance Security being the group’s fourth acquisition.  

Paul Mantovani, Advance Security Limited Managing Director, will remain with the company post-sale.

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Advance Security Limited throughout the process.

Moss Switchgear Services Limited

Hampshire based Moss Switchgear Services Limited provides the provision, installation and maintenance of low-voltage switchgear and electrical distribution equipment. The company was established in 1996 and over the years has developed strong client relationships.

It became clear during initial discussions with KBS Corporate that further growth of the business, customer safeguarding and a smooth transition period was important to the sole shareholder Michael Penrose.

Moss Switchgear Services attracted a wide range of interest. The successful offer came from UK trade buyer Otter Controls. The company proved an excellent fit as Otter Controls is a highly respected name who will be able to take Moss Switchgear Services forward and offer additional value and services to current customers. Otter Controls is based in Derbyshire with representatives across the globe including Europe, Japan, India and America. Otter Controls intends to strengthen Moss Switchgear Services’ exposure in the switchgear market, supported by a well known and respected brand.

Leo Freschini, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised Moss Switchgear Services throughout the process and commented on the deal: “I’m very happy with the way all parties conducted themselves throughout the process and I believe the transaction puts both companies in a great position to develop in the future.”

Post-sale, Otter Controls intends to maintain and grow the business as the UK moves out of Covid restrictions.

GoEco Renewables Limited

GoEco Renewables Limited specialises in the installation of renewable energy technologies in homes and businesses, aiming to deliver efficient and sustainable alternatives to traditional energy provision. The company was established in 2016 and has experienced rapid growth, trebling its year one profits over the first three years of operations. This is due in part to GoEco Renewables Limited’s excellent reputation, which sees most clients providing repeat business. The company has seen high levels of success, having been nominated and winning multiple awards including Yorkshire STARS Awards Construction Apprentice of the Year 2018, and Yorkshire Choice Awards Business of the Year 2019.

Christopher Delaney and John Gilham, the shareholders of GoEco Renewables Limited, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to pursue further growth. During initial discussions it became clear that finding a buyer with experience and was the right fit for the business was vital, due to Christopher Delaney and John Gilham remaining with the business post completion.

KBS Corporate then implemented a research strategy with a heavy focus on UK trade and financial buyers. This enabled KBS Corporate to identify over 20 interested parties. The successful offer came from Ansor Ventures and marks their third acquisition via KBS Corporate in 2020.

Tom Eatough, KBS Corporate Finance Associate Corporate Director, advised GoEco Renewables Limited throughout the process.

Engineering Safety Consultants

Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd is a specialist global provider of functional safety expertise and technical consultancy. The company was formed in 2009 and developed relationships with multiple blue-chip clients. Over the years, the company has developed a substantial foothold and benefits from offices in London, the North West and the North East. 

Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate the retirement of two shareholders. A key consideration for Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd was to maintain the retention of two other key shareholders.

Following initial discussions, KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy focusing on UK trade buyers and investment companies. KBS Corporate was able to generate 40 interested parties with the majority of interest coming from UK trade buyers. This resulted in four competing offers.

The successful offer came from ERM Limited, a leading global provider of management consultancy. The company is headquartered in London with offices in over 40 countries. ERM Limited is currently pursuing growth through acquisition, with Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd being the second acquisition of 2021.

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Engineering Safety Consultants Ltd and commented, “I wish all parties involved the best of luck with their future endeavours and I am confident that Engineering Safety Consultants, its management and staff will have a very successful future under the new ownership of ERM.”

JLF Moving Solutions Limited

Based in Staffordshire, JLF Moving Solutions Limited is a leading furniture removal company. Since being established in 2010 the company has seen significant growth, with 100% of clients providing reliable, repeat business. JLF Moving Solutions Limited works with clients in the insurance sector.

The shareholders Steve Lomas and John Lomas instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans. During initial discussions it became clear that pursuing a UK buyer wishing to expand their geographical footprint was the best fit. In addition to this there was a clear preference for a trade buyer. KBS Corporate was able to generate 30 interested parties, with the majority of interest coming from trade buyers. This resulted in two competing offers.

The successful offer came from Shift Online. The company provide man and van services and specialises in moving services for unusual items, including motorbikes and pianos. Shift Online is headquarter in London with a client base across the UK. The acquisition of JLF Moving Solutions Limited will enable Shift Online to expand their reach further.

Annie Shiel, KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, advised JLF Moving Solutions Limited throughout the process and commented on the deal, “It was a pleasure working with the sellers and to achieve the desired outcome. I wish all parties the best for the future.”

Gortrush Trading

Gortrush Trading is a highly regarded ice cream wholesaler, serving a number of clients within the ice cream industry in Ireland and England. The company has experienced considerable growth since its foundation, with the strength of its workforce, products and service offering enabling it to build up an excellent reputation within its sector and maintain a high-value, long-standing client base.

Kieran Howe, the sole shareholder of Gortrush, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of his business in order facilitate further growth under the impetus of new ownership. This allowed KBS Corporate to implement a research strategy with a primary focus on the UK and overseas trade buyers, which generated high levels of interest.

The successful offer came from NIC Enterprises Limited which is owned by Orkla Plc. Based in Norway, Orkla Plc is a supplier of branded consumer goods to the grocery, specialised retail, pharmacy and bakery sectors. The acquisition will strengthen the company’s foothold in the UK market, as well as adding to the overall product range.

“We already hold a strong position in ice cream ingredients and accessories in the UK market,” said Tor Osmundsen, CEO of NIC Group. “The acquisition of Gortrush is strategically right for increasing our foothold in Northern Ireland and gaining better access to the Irish market. Gortrush’s product assortment is a good match to that of NIC UK, and the businesses complement each other well.”

Annie Shiel, KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, advised Gortrush and commented on the deal,“With the continued motivation from all parties and advisers involved, the deal was quickly back on track after a few COVID-19 hiccups, and a successful outcome was achieved. KBS were well positioned to advise on complex deal mechanisms to accommodate the moving parts to the transaction, advise on financial aspects and manage the process throughout. It has been a pleasure getting to know and work with the buyers and sellers involved in this transaction. We wish both sides all the best for the future.”

Nutec Security Systems Limited

Established in 1984, Nutec Security Systems Limited is a security technology and systems provider based in Northampton. Over the years the company has developed an excellent reputation which has seem the achievement of NSI Gold and Constructionline membership. This has resulted in Nutec Security Systems Limited developing a loyal customer base with some remaining with the business for over 20 years.

After 36 years in the business, the shareholders of the company, Paul Beeby and Malcolm Ablett, approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans. KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on sourcing a UK buyer. The majority of focus came from UK trade buyers, with some interest coming from UK private investors.

The successful offer came from Abel Alarm Co Limited. Based in Leicester and established in 1965, Abel Alarm is a leading provider of electronic security systems. The company benefits from national reach with 13 branches across the UK. The acquisition will enable Abel Alarm to further expand their customer base.

Annie Shiel advised Nutec Security Systems Limited and commented: “It has been a pleasure working with the sellers, the buyer and associated advisers. It was identified that Nutec Security would nicely contribute to the existing operations of Abel Alarm Co as well as providing the opportunity to build on the customer base and transfer skilled employees. With the continued dedication from all parties involved, the deal successfully completed. We wish the sellers and buyer all the best in their plans and the continued success of the companies.”

At On Line Computing Limited

At On Line Computing Limited provides IT and information security managed services to SMEs in the UK. The company was established in 1993 as a subsidiary and was established as a separate company in 1995 and is based in London. The company has maintained relationships with clients, spanning up to 23 years which is reflected by At On Line Computing’s excellent reputation.

The shareholders of the company, Paul Byrne, Oonagh Zeches and Jay Rasiah approached KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to explore other avenues. One of the major reasons for sale was to enable the major shareholder to pursue business interests in Ireland.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy with a heavy focus on sourcing a UK buyer. No less than 58 interested parties were identified over the course of two rounds of research. KBS Corporate was able to utilise these high levels of interest to generate a competitive bidding environment.

The ultimate offer came from Tela Technology, providers of communication solutions and IT business services. The company was established over 30 years ago and holds many prestigious awards. Tela benefits from partnerships with multiple blue-chip companies and offices across the UK. The acquisition will enable Tela to expand their foothold in the south, particularly within London, and to diversify their service offerings.

Jacob Lord, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised At On line Computing through the process and commented: “The acquisition will benefit both parties as it allows the shareholders to focus on other operations and gain the freedom they were seeking. It also provides the buyer an excellent foothold in a key location within the south, for further expansion of their group. I assisted with all the negotiations and maintained a close relationship with the buyer throughout the process to ensure the transaction ran smoothly. I am very pleased with the outcome and wish both the buyer and vendor the best of luck moving forward.”

Post-sale Tela is looking to retain the current staff and location of At On Line Computing, with some of the shareholders remaining in business to smooth the handover period.

Secure Web Services Limited

Shropshire based Secure Web Services Limited provides fixed wireless access network, specialising in offering flexible and affordable superfast broadband to properties across the county. The company was established in 2000 and has developed a strong client base. Secure Web Services Limited differentiates itself in the marketplace through its extensive coverage and is dedicated to achieving reliability and quality through the Company’s strong technical ability.

Christopher New, the current shareholder, instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of his business in order to facilitate further business development. Due to the desire to achieve further growth, KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on private equity firms, with additional interest being generated from UK trade buyers.

The successful offer came from Rural Broadband Solutions PLC, formerly SAPO PLC, who invests in rural broadband providers which demonstrate high levels of growth and expansion potential. The acquisition will enable Christopher New to remain in Secure Web Services Limited, and the company will continue to benefit from growth and investment.

Keith Harris, Executive Chairman of Rural Broadband Solutions, commented: “We are delighted to be concluding this acquisition and fundraising, which will give investors an opportunity to benefit from exposure to the underserved rural broadband market.  We will drive growth in Secure Web Services Limited’s already loyal customer base, through planned network upgrades eligible for Government funding and through selective appropriate acquisitions.

“Developing this sector is a crucial element to the future growth of the UK economy, with so many people relying on a good broadband connection in all areas of the country. We thank existing and new shareholders for their support and look forward to updating the market with further progress in due course.”

Secure Web Services Managing Director Chris New added: “I am excited to take SWS through this important milestone of becoming a listed company.

“The landscape is certainly changing as more and more people work from home and the average family requirements of broadband speed in this rapidly changing digital world is only increasing.

“We currently provide super-fast broadband (30mbps+) to customers in rural areas who otherwise would struggle to achieve 1 mbps from Openreach partners.

“We are now ready to build on our 2,300 strong customer base and upgrade our network to deliver Gigabit services across Shropshire and further afield into other rural areas.”

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, advised Secure Web Services Limited throughout the process.

Photostatic Anglia Limited

Founded in 1981 Norfolk- based Photostatic Anglia Limited supplies and services printers and photocopiers. Over the years, Photostatic Anglia has developed a loyal customer base with approximately 85% of customers providing repeat business.

Following initial discussions with the shareholders KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy, with a primary focus on trade buyers. KBS Corporate was perfectly placed to also utilise access to professional networks. This generated interest from several trade buyers and small investment buyers.

The successful offer came from Netbox Digital Limited, a provider of printing, copying and scanning solutions based in Kent. The acquisition marks Netbox Digital’s first office based outside of Kent and is a key move in the company’s geographic expansion. In recent years Netbox Digital has seen high levels of success including repeatedly being recognised as one of the ‘Mega Growth 50’ businesses in Kent. In 2015 Netbox Digital diversified their offerings with the introduction of Netbox Recruitment which was followed by Netbox Managed IT Services Ltd.

Netbox Digital Managing Director, Paul Crewe, comments: “The acquisition of Photostatic Anglia Limited signals an incredibly exciting new chapter for Netbox. The level of growth we have achieved in Kent and the South East has been well documented and has provided the ideal base from which to start expanding our presence into other areas of the country. Norwich and the surrounding area offer enormous business potential with a thriving local economy and an abundance of successful local firms. We also have total confidence in the excellent reputation set to date by Photostatic Anglia Ltd in their service with their clients.”

Sales Director at Netbox Digital, Gareth Brown, added:  “Challenges have undoubtedly presented themselves from the economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and will of course have been felt across the economy as a whole. However, we firmly believe that despite this economic backdrop, there is still significant opportunity for growth, both locally and further afield.”

KBS Corporate advised Photostatic Anglia Limited throughout the process.

Celtic Process Control Limited

Celtic Process Control Limited is an engineering contracting company providing integrated design, manufacture and construction of instrument, electrical and modular mechanical process control systems with a focus on the water industry. The company is based in Wales. Celtic Process Control Limited was formed in 1974, originally named Instrument Services Newport and rebranded in 1981. The company benefits from excellent customer retention levels, with 90% of clients providing repeat business. Clients are primarily based in the water and anaerobic digestion industries, many of whom have stayed with the business for over 25 years. David F Morgan and Louise Morgan instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to enable them to realise their retirement plans.

It became clear that employee retention, and the continuation of delivering high levels of customer service was highly important to the shareholders. This guided KBS Corporate’s research strategy towards a focus on sourcing a UK trade buyer, with some exploration of private investors. This process identified 26 interested parties, the vast majority of whom where private investors, and three competing offers. The successful offer came from Alex Dinham, a private investor.

Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, commented on the deal: “I was happy that the offer and the process met David’s expectations, and that the business will continue to operate as David wished following his departure.”

Precision Products (Brighton) Limited

Precision Products (Brighton) Limited is a subcontract machinist which manufactures high quality precision turned parts for a diverse client base across the UK and overseas. The company is based in West Sussex. Precision Products was established in 1974 and has developed an excellent reputation within its sector and has sustained client relationships exceeding 20 years. The company benefits from a diverse client base including clients in aerospace, automotive, air humidifiers, brewery, electronics and water industries. Brian Owen, Graham Owen and Sally Thorley instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate the retirement of majority shareholder Brian.

During initial discussions it became apparent that the retention of current staff was highly important to the shareholders. KBS Corporate was then able to prioritise a regional trade buyer, however some private equity potential buyers were identified.  This proved highly successful and KBS Corporate was able to identify over 34 interested parties.

 The successful offer came from East Sussex based Picross Engineering, who specialises in CNC services, conventional machining and ancillary services. Picross Engineering was established in 1978 and has a reputation for excellence due to strict implementation of quality control and innovative use of technology. The company produces to the ISO 9001 Quality Management standard.  The acquisition of Precision Products was motivated by Picross Engineering’s growth strategy, marking their second acquisition. Precision Products will allow Picross Engineering to strength their foothold in the sector and expand their service offerings.  KBS Corporate was able to ensure the retention of the workforce and allowing Precision Products expands their offerings.

Jacob Lord, KBS Corporate Deal Executive, commented on the deal: “The acquisition will provide a great boost to the service offering for the buyer and allow them to continue their expansion within the UK market, as well as providing a stronger foothold.”

RSG Engineering Limited

RSG Engineering Limited, based in Staffordshire, specialises in the supply of innovative automotive products to the emergency and essential services, operating across the UK and Europe. The company was founded in 1985 and over the years has developed a reputation for excellence and a strong client base, with many relationships in place for over 20 years. The Company has been awarded the National Association of Police Fleet Managers (NAPFAM) Conference Best Stand award on three occasions. Robert Blakemore and Graham Vinson instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate Graham Vinson’s retirement plans and allow the company to grow under the impetus of a new owner.

Following discussions with the shareholders it was clear that RSG Engineering Limited had both UK and International appeal. KBS Corporate’s research plan also placed a primary focus on trade buyers. This allowed KBS Corporate to identify 37 interested parties, with the majority of interest coming from trade, several private equity buyers and multiple overseas buyers. KBS Corporate ultimately identified Standby Group as a potential partner which could develop RSG Engineering Limited further.

Standby Group is the European market leader in the design and manufacture of warning equipment and control systems. The group includes Standby AB, Standby GmbH and Standby Mercura SAS, and operates in Sweden, Germany, France and Finland. Standby Group is owned by Argynnus Group AB, which was formed in 1984 as a Swedish family-owned industry group.

Argynnis Group CEO, Leif Gustavsson commented on the deal: “At Agrynnis we are always looking to increase the global reach of all our businesses and have been searching for a suitable entity in the UK to increase Standby’s European footprint for a while. RSG fits this perfectly, with its strong presence in the UK, it will strengthen the overall operation. This acquisition also strategically positions us inside the Brexit area, and I am pleased to welcome RSG into our family as we move into the next level of growth.”

Robert Jakobsson, CEO of Standby Group commented on the deal: “With this acquisition, Standby Group has completed another step in its long-term strategy to lead the supply of superior products and services to its clients throughout Europe. With a strong customer focus and innovative approach to the market, RSG represents an excellent fit within our group; we look forward to accelerating our success also in the UK market, which we are confident holds strong growth potential in the coming years.”

Robert Blakemore will become Managing Director of Standby’s UK operations and he commented on the deal: “We are delighted to now be part of a larger group with such pedigree and look forward to growing in this innovative organisation with its Swedish ethos and collaborative approach.”

Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, commented on the deal: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with the RSG and Standby team on this transaction. Its clear to me that both companies will greatly benefit from this new partnership and I wish all involved much success in their future endeavours”.

Ashford Orthodontics

Ashford Orthodontics is one of the UK’s leading orthodontics laboratories. This is a reputation that the company has developed over 20 years of operation, with a highly experienced workforce and the latest technology.

Ashford Orthodontics is based in Tyne and Wear and has customers across the UK. These factors lead to the company quickly achieving turnover in excess of one million pounds. The company’s three shareholders, Sean Thompson, Craig Stevens and Graeme Winyard instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate further growth.

The laboratory attracted a wide range of interest with the successful offer coming from Amalgamated Laboratory Solutions who were backed by Ansor LLP. This marks Amalgamated Laboratory Solutions’ second acquisition of a company represented by KBS Corporate with their previous acquisition of Leca Dental Laboratory in 2019. Amalgamated Laboratory Solutions is based in London and is a manufacturer of dental supplies and instruments. The acquisition acts as a continuation of Amalgamated Laboratory Solutions’ growth through acquisition strategy.

Annie Shiel, KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, advised Ashford Orthodontics and commented, “It was clear from the beginning that Ashford Orthodontics would nicely compliment the dental group created by Ansor LLP.

The final deal agreed was complex with many layers but KBS were well positioned to be hands on at all stages from negotiation through to the legal documents being agreed.

Pursuing a transaction during these uncertain times did present a number of hurdles to overcome but with the continued focus and dedication from all parties involved, a deal was achieved.

Ashford Orthodontics is a great addition to the newly established dental group and exciting times are ahead for all companies involved.

I am extremely pleased to see this transaction complete and I would like to send my best wishes to the sellers and the new group for the future.”

Complete Detection Systems Limited

Complete Detection Systems Limited, based in Leicestershire, designs, supplies, installs and maintains a wide range of life safety systems and productions. The company was established in 1988 and over the years has developed a wide-reaching customer base including clients both in the UK and overseas. Martin Iliffe and Tony Mikunda instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to begin steps towards their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy with a primary focus on identifying a UK trade buyer operating within the fire safety sector. Synergy sectors, including electrical safety and testing, security, health and safety, water safety and compliance businesses, were also explored in order to generate and present to our clients a wider choice of potential deal structures.

KBS Corporate generated no less than 30 expressions of interest in CDS from trade buyers due to our existing network of registered acquirers and our contacts within a sector in which we are highly experienced. Complete Detection Systems Limited also attracted interest from Private Equity firms who wished to diversify their portfolios, MBI teams and private investors. KBS Corporate utilised this high level of interest to generate three highly competitive offers. The eventual offer came from an MBI team consisting of two individuals with previous M&A experience and an established specialism within the sector.

Managing director Simon Abley commented, 

“This is an exciting time for the CDS business, and I look forward to working with Simon, Martin, Tony and the team to continue to build the business, both organically and by further acquisitions over the years to come.

“The fire detection and life safety systems market, indeed the compliance services sector generally, is deeply fragmented and we anticipate will provide a strong ‘buy and build’ opportunity for CDS.”

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised Complete Detection Systems Limited throughout the process and commented,

 “We had to overcome restructuring the transaction in light of an accounting error. We managed to complete due diligence, keep the transaction on track, and progress to completion in an incredibly challenging climate – Covid 19 and government lock-down.”

The shareholders will retain a minority equity stake within Complete Detection Systems Limited post sale and remain in an advisory role for the next 12-24 months.

Videocall Limited

Videocall Limited, a global leader in video conferencing and telepresence solutions, has completed its sale to New Era Technology UK.

Videocall is a leading service provider and systems integrator of on-premise and cloud-based video collaboration. Videocall are experts in video conferencing, telepresence, unified collaboration, systems integration, AV installation and meeting room solutions. The company was founded in 1997 by Managing Director, Rob Portwood, and is now the only company in the UK who are 100% focussed on video conferencing and unified communications. Today Videocall is one of the world’s leading service providers and systems integrators of on-premise and cloud-based video collaboration services to organisations across the globe.

As part of a research and buyer identification process which attracted interest from multiple trade and investment acquirers from both the UK and Overseas, KBS Corporate ultimately identified New Era Technology as a potential partner which could further establish Videocall on the international stage.

New Era Technology serves more than 7,500 customers via its 30 global offices, with a particularly strong presences outside of the UK in North America and Oceania. As a market leader, working across a diverse set of markets, the group deliver technology solutions that securely connect people, places, and information in a rapidly changing digital world. Their portfolio includes managed services, video conferencing, cloud, collaboration, data networking and security solutions.

The acquisition of Videocall will further build upon New Era Technology’s foothold within the UK and will enable Videocall to offer enhanced global service offerings to their clients.

Rob Portwood will continue in his role as Managing Director, and commented on the deal: “Over many years we have developed a leading manged service collaboration portfolio of services working with world class technology and platform partners delivering valuable outcomes to our customers.

“I am very excited about joining the New Era team and having the opportunity to drive our business forward globally for the benefit of our customers, partners and employees”

Annie Shiel, Associate Corporate Director, advised Videocall throughout the transaction and commented: “It is encouraging to see Videocall Limited join an established international player and we wish all parties the very best of success in the future.”

The Soap Kitchen (2011) Ltd

Established in 2000 as a family run business, The Soap Kitchen (2011) Ltd is now one of the UK’s leading suppliers of soaps and soap ingredients. Based in Devon, the company specialise in the crafts of soap making, toiletry making and candle making, with an established client base through the UK and Europe.

The shareholders of The Soap Kitchen instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

Following discussions with the shareholders KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on trade buyers. Two rounds of buyer reach were completed, as well as exploring other avenues to ensure the right buyer was found.

The ultimate buyer was Supplies For Candles, a Swinton-based candle company, specialising in scented candles and fragrance oils. The acquisition will allow them to gain quick entry into the soap market with an established client base in the UK and EU.

Supplies For Candles intend to fully integrate The Soap Kitchen into existing operations by way of expansion of their product offering.

The deal was overseen by Annie Shiel, Associate Director at KBS Corporate, who stated “The acquisition allowed the sellers to exit the business to pursue retirement whilst offering a deal that satisfied expectations in terms of overall valuation and deal structure. It was clear that the addition of The Soap Kitchen would complement the existing offering for Supplies for Candles and offered a wider customer following as well aa larger geographical footprint as a joint force.

“There were a number of ‘moving parts’ with the transaction which KBS had to take into consideration and attention to detail, deal knowledge and timing were key to ensure a successful outcome.

“Naturally, the events of COVID-19 did throw a few curve balls when trying to push this deal over the line but with the continued efforts from KBS and associated advisers acting on both sides, we were in a position to get the deal back on track and push through to a successful sale. It has been great to work with the sellers on this transaction and I wish them the best for the future.”

McDowall Holdings Limited

Based in the West Midlands, McDowall Holdings is a well-respected business, specialising in the design of energy efficient air conditioning and ventilation systems. Founded as a family business in 1972, the company has a wealth of knowledge and experience in providing cost-effective solutions for their clients.

Having spent many years’ growing the company, the shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of McDowall as they had decided to explore their options with regards to retirement. The company has performed well in recent years and was well positioned to achieve maximum value. The shareholders were keen to ensure the right buy was found to continue the success and growth, whilst supporting the loyal and hardworking employees of the company.

Following discussions with the shareholders, KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with trade buyers and Private Equity houses. The successful buyer, Johnson Controls International PLC, a fire, HVAC and safety equipment provider, saw potential in McDowall and look forward to continuing to develop the company.

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, handled all negotiations on behalf of McDowall, and stated “McDowall have a fantastic reputation in the sector and whilst having a national client base, they also have a strong regional foothold in the Midlands. KBS went above and beyond to ensure several parts of the process were accelerated to ensure the transaction was completed tax efficiently. There were other technical challenges which needed specialist advice and KBS coordinated and worked closely with specialist teams to navigate through these challenges. We also had to carefully manage the advanced stages of the process in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully managed to close the transaction through some very uncertain circumstances”.

This deal represents the second transaction that KBS Corporate have facilitated to Johnson Controls, following their acquisition of East Lancashire Refrigeration in 2019.

Fire-Us Limited

Fire-Us Ltd is a Lancaster based company, specialising in the manufacture and supply of fire protection equipment. Established in 2001, the company has grown and expanded its services to include training, site inspections, reports, and design solutions.

With the key directors of Fire-Us having over 50 years industry experience, the company has built a strong foundation, working with contractors across the UK.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business, and a research strategy was put in place to ensure the right buyer was found.

The ultimate buyer was Kingspan PLC, a global leader in insulation and building envelope solutions. Founded in Ireland in 1965, Kingspan now has 18 businesses working within the UK, and operate in 70 countries worldwide.

Kingspan Insulation’s UK and Ireland Managing Director, Ralph Mannion, said: “Kingspan has always advocated a systems-based approach to the development, design and use of its products in both building envelope and building services applications. By bringing the Fire-Us offering under Kingspan’s banner we will be broadening our Technical Insulation offering by building on the range of tested solutions and technical support the industry can draw on.”

Fire-Us will be integrated into the Kingspan Group, and will be rebranded as Kingspan technical Insulation Limited.

Fire-Us Ltd was advised by Guy Haynes, KBS Corporate Director.

Intilery.com Ltd

KBS Corporate Finance has advised Intilery.com Limited throughout its recent funding round led by Maven Capital Partners.

Intilery is a customer data platform and real-time decision engine that powers multi-channel campaigns. Its real-time, omnichannel CRM platform offers its clients a 360-view of its marketing activities, as well as enabling them to visualise and create real-time AI-powered customer journeys. Key clients include Sykes Cottages, IGO4 Insurance, and The Fragrance Shop.

Intilery was established in 2012 by our clients, CEO Gareth James and CTO Tom McMillan, and the funding will enable Intilery to expand the sales and marketing team and develop its commercial offering.

Prior to co-founding Intilery with Tom, Gareth was the international IT director and a member of the senior management team at MoneySupermarket and latterly the CIO at Manchester-based The Hut Group.

The Maven VCTs and NPIF-Maven Equity Finance, which forms part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund and is managed by Maven, both invested as part of the transaction.

Dean Cox, investment manager at Maven, said: “There is an ever increasing global demand for businesses, SMEs and large corporates, to collect and analyse real time data in order to better understand their customers behaviour, and Intilery’s product meets this need by providing clients with access to information such as day-to-day engagement and digital marketing campaigns.”

Gareth James said: “We are delighted to have Maven on board as we grow Intilery into an international brand.

“Over the past eight years we have organically grown, supplying many of Europe’s leading consumer brands with the access to key metrics that they need.

“This is now the right time to take the sales and marketing activity to the next level, on the back of the UKs leading customer engagement platform.”

The Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.

Dave Gardner, Corporate Finance Director, advised our client throughout the process.

W M H Transmissions Limited

WMH Transmissions Limited and Apex Transmissions Limited, the Midlands-based specialist providers of linear, transmission and gearbox products, has been acquired by €3.9 billion turnover French giant, Descours & Cabaud.

Founded in 1987, WMH Transmissions specialise in the provision of products from leading manufacturers for commercial and industrial clients throughout the UK and Europe. In 2014, a supporting company in the form of Apex Transmissions was founded in order to become a stockist of Bosch Rexroth for the UK market. To date, Apex Transmissions holds the largest volume of Rexroth linear product stock in the UK.

With shareholders based in the UK, Italy and Germany, KBS Corporate brought both companies to market in order to facilitate the complete exit of several shareholders, whilst allowing others to take the first steps towards retirement following a consultancy period post-sale.

Owing to the companies’ existing European presence, KBS Corporate approached buyers from across the globe, focussing on industrial component distribution and companies serving the maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) manufacturing/industrial market. The opportunity was also pitched to several Private Equity houses and Family Offices.

Four offers were secured, with the final deal value representing a 20% increase on the first offer received. Interest was obtained from UK and European acquirers, with the successful bid being made by Descours & Cabaud, a Lyon-headquartered distributor of professional supplies to the industrial and constructions sectors throughout Europe and North America. Descours & Cabaud employs 14,000 staff members and generated revenues of €3.9 billion in 2019.

The deal for WMH Transmissions and Apex Transmissions forms part of Descourd & Cabaud’s current strategy to growth through acquisition within the MRO market, and both companies will act as a bolt-on for Hayley Group in the UK, which was also purchased three years ago. Hayley Group currently operates 40 branches throughout the UK, and following the acquisition, will stock products through this network and help to grow the firm’s newly formed robotics division.

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, handled all negotiations on behalf of WMH and Apex. Louise Beamen, shareholder of WMH Transmissions, was duly delighted with Tom’s role throughout the process, commenting: “I just wanted to say thank you for all of your support and help during this transaction. I know at times it must have been testing for you, but you were always very calm and professional in handling all our concerns or problems. A true professional and credit to KBS”.

TLT LLP provided legal advisory to the seller.

Cook Brown Building Control

Cook Brown Building Control is a respected corporate approved inspector, who provides building inspection services. Since the company’s founding in 2013, Cook Brown Building Control has seen rapid growth with four offices based across the UK.

Having spent a number of years developing Cook Brown Building Control the current shareholders expressed the wish to realise the value of some their business to allow for growth. Both shareholders also stated the importance of remaining within the business post sale. From KBS Corporate’s initial meeting with Cook Brown Building Control, it was clear that the right buyer would appreciate the fresh and dynamic nature and potential of the business. 

This knowledge helped to develop KBS Corporate’s research strategy, which enabled a focus on synergistic trade buyers and private equity buyers.

A number of interested parties were identified with the majority of interest coming from UK trade buyers. KBS Corporate was then able to use this interest to present two competing offers. The successful offer came from Hickton Consultants Ltd, trading as Hickton Group, who were backed by Chelverton Asset Management. KBS Corporate negotiated a final offer that exceeded the expectations of Cook Brown Building Control. In addition to this, the shareholders will receive a 25% shareholding of the new group.

Cook Brown Building Control was advised by KBS Corporate Associate Director, Joe Norris, who commented on the deal, “I’m very pleased with the deal that was achieved for our clients, they will benefit from reduced risk, taking some cash out of the business and the ability to work more regular hours. Hickton Group will benefit from Cook Brown’s large and growing client base, the expertise of their staff and by expanding their geographical reach to the South West of England.”

The shareholders will remain with the business post sale, taking on roles within the new group.

McIntyre Electrical Limited

Founded in 1989, McIntyre Electrical Limited provide electrical, safety and security services for buildings. Over the years, the company has seen monumental levels of growth supported by long standing client relationships, some of which have been in place for over 20 years. McIntyre Electrical Limited’s success is evident in the company generating a 160% increase in turnover and a 348% increase in EBITDA since 2014.

After spending over 30 years developing the  business, the founding shareholder of McIntyre Electrical Limited expressed an interest in taking steps towards retirement and realising value from the company he had built.. As three other shareholders wished to remain in the business post-sale, it was important to source a buyer who would support this transition.

From KBS Corporate’s initial meeting with McIntyre Electrical Limited, it became apparent that highlighting the company’s recent growth was instrumental in finding a buyer.  At the same time, it was important to find a buyer who was keen to support the existing shareholders in this period of operational change.

 When conducting the research process, KBS Corporate made this a top priority and sourced multiple buyers.  A Management Buy In team was found who could offer the right deal and provide the right support post-sale as well. Overall the opportunity proved popular with McIntyre Electrical Limited attracting 30 interested parties and three offers.

The successful offer came from the initial Management Buy In team backed by Foresight Group LLP. They were chosen as they had backgrounds in running and growing a significantly sized facilities management group and they now wanted a new venture. Foresight were interested due to the growth prospects of the company and ultimately, they will aim to exit in the future to get a return on their investment.

Martin Gammon, Chairman of McIntyre Electrical Limited commented on the deal, “Joe, John, Sarah and Chris have done a tremendous job building McIntyre Electrical to the scale it is today. I’m excited to join as Chair and help continue to build on the Company’s successes.”

McIntyre Electrical Limited was advised by Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate Finance.

Leca Dental Laboratory

Based in Scotland Leca Dental Laboratory Limited is a full-service laboratory producing implants, prosthetic dentures, crown and bridge, chrome cobalt and orthodontic products.

The company was established in 2002 and has developed an excellent reputation with over 600 active clients, some of whom have been with the business for over 10 years. Leca Dental Laboratory Limited also holds a strong place in the sector twice winning Dental Laboratory of the Year, 2013 and 2015 and shortlisted for Marketing Campaign of the Year in 2016.

The shareholders of Leca Dental Laboratory Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to generate investment and to allow for further growth through the impetus of a new owner while remaining active in the business post sale.

KBS Corporate implemented an exhaustive research strategy with a focus on both trade and private equity buyers. This resulted in 46 interested parties being identified, and from this came 9 meetings and 4 offers. Due to the high levels of interest KBS Corporate was able to negotiate a definite uplift in bids from the initial offers.

The successful offer came from Amalgamated Laboratory Solutions Limited, a manufacturer of dental instruments and supplies based in London, which was set up and backed by Ansor LLP. Amalgamated Laboratory Solutions Limited is currently in a growth through acquisition phase, in order to cement their position in the dental market.

Leca Dental Laboratory Limited was advised by Fabio Rambelli, KBS Corporate Associate Director, who commented, “It’s been an absolute pleasure working with both parties. I’m confident that the buyers, sellers and Leca team will have a very prosperous future working together. I wish all parties the best of luck.”

SAR Recycling Ltd

SAR Recycling Ltd, one of the UK’s largest lead acid batteries recycling companies, has been acquired in a multi-million deal by Enva Group, a leading provider of recycling and specialist resource recovery solutions in the UK and Ireland.

Based out of Immingham, the Business was founded in 2008 and was one of the first companies in the UK to obtain official government approval to export lead. Fast forward a decade, and SAR Recycling is now a long-established provider of battery collection and recycling services to a wide customer base across the UK and Ireland. As one of the main UK lead acid battery recyclers, SAR recover valuable component materials which are then sold to global smelters and into the plastics recycling industry.

Commenting on the acquisition, Simon Dick, Managing Director at Enva said, “SAR’s capability is a logical extension for our specialist waste recovery business, particularly in the automotive and workshop sector. We are delighted with the acquisition and are looking forward to working closely with the SAR team to grow and develop the business especially as emerging battery chemistries become more prevalent.”

Arvydas Pocevicius, General Manager of SAR Recycling, also commented, “I and the rest of the SAR team are excited to join Enva. We are looking forward to continuing to provide a high-quality, consistent service and to supporting the Enva ethos of further developing our recovery processes and end markets.”

Company sales specialist, KBS Corporate Finance, advised the shareholders of SAR Recycling on the sale to Enva Group. Julian Coy (Managing Director) and Mughees Saleem (Corporate Finance Manager) advised on the transaction. Mughees commented: “SAR Recycling is a long-established, successful battery recycling business that has seen significant year on year growth since its inception. Having grown the business to a national player in the lead acid battery recycling sector in just over a decade, the shareholders were looking to realise the value of their shareholding. After preparing the business for sale and identifying potential trade and private equity buyers, the deal with Enva was the most appropriate vehicle to meet shareholder requirements as it allowed the shareholders to exit the business whilst maximising overall value.”

Justas Valentinas, one of the shareholders of SAR Recycling, commented: “Mughees and Julian did a great job guiding us through the sale process. They were available 24/7 and represented our position very well. We were very happy with their input and the overall deal that they managed to deliver to the shareholders”.

Pet Mate Ltd

Pet Mate Ltd, the UK-based designer, manufacturer and distributor of innovative pet products for cats, dogs and fish has customers throughout Europe and the United States, has been acquired in a multi-million deal by private investment office, Ethos Partners LLP.

Pet Mate operates within the UK from its head office in Hersham, Surrey, and in the US from its offices near Houston, Texas. Under the brands of Cat mate, Dog mate, Fish mate and trading as Ani Mate in the US, the company has established a reputation for designing and marketing unique and innovative ranges of patented pet products for over 30 years. The global pet care market size was estimated at $131.7 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow with CAGR of 4.9% from 2016 to 2025, reaching $202.6 billion by 2025. Online retail within the sector is growing even faster, US Online sales are expected to grow at a 17% CAGR from 2016 to 2022.

KBS Corporate Finance advised Pet mate on the sale, introducing executive recruiters to bring on board a new Managing Director in preparation of the exit of Pet Mate’s founders, garnering interest from trade buyers and Private Equity firms across Europe and the USA.

Given current market dynamics, interest was extremely strong and the investment from London-based Ethos Partners will allow the business to continue its strategic growth, providing a platform for the new Managing Director to rapidly expand operations.

The founders of Pet Mate will now step down from day-to-day operations, whilst maintaining a significant share within the business as part of the sale.

Julian Coy and Mughees Saleem, of KBS Corporate Finance, advised Pet Mate on the sale. Julian commented: “Pet Mate is a wonderful, global business operating in a great consumer sector. What was important was preparing the business so that the founders could retire away post transaction, retain a carried interest and maximise the overall value; it became apparent that Private Equity was the most appropriate vehicle to meet those requirements.”

PT Engineers and Precision Somers Limited

Based in Warwickshire PT Engineers is a precision engineering company that specialises in CNC machining. The company was established in 1965 and has maintained some client relationships for over 25 years. Over the years the business has strived for excellence which has seen them earning ISO 9001: 2015 status. Precision Somers Limited is the holding company of PT Engineers.

The shareholders of PT Engineers and Precision Somers Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of both companies, in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate attracted 95 interested parties and 8 offers were received. The opportunity attracted a wide range of interest from trade and private investment.

The successful buyer, TGM Partners Ltd, a firm specialising in the acquisition, transition and growth of owner-managed businesses, particularly in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.  This transaction constitutes TGM’s sixth acquisition in the last 2.5 years.

The deal was overseen by Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate.

Trelawny Landscaping Limited

Trelawney Landscaping Limited is based in Cornwall and provides hard and soft landscaping and turf services. The business was established in 1995 and became incorporated in 2003. Over the years Trelawny Landscaping Limited has developed an excellent reputation and gained NHBC Pride in the Job Award in 2019 and SMAS Worksafe certification.

The shareholders of Trelawny Landscaping Limited instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of the business in order to facilitate their retirement plans.

Following discussions with the shareholders KBS Corporate implemented a research strategy with a primary focus on trade buyers.

The successful offer came from Agave Landscape Limited, a trade buyer who intends to grow through acquisitions.

Trelawney Landscaping Limited was advised by Fabio Rambelli, Associate Director at KBS Corporate.

ARC Building Solutions

ARC Building Solutions is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of cavity fire barriers to the construction and house building markets.

The company is based in Leeds and was founded in 2008. Over the years the business has developed an excellent reputation due to their high standards and award-winning products. ARC Building Solutions has generated an enviable blue-chip client list, with the company earning preferred supplier status with multiple national housebuilders.

ARC Building Solutions approached KBS Corporate in order to source investment which would facilitate further growth of the business.

The opportunity attracted a wide range of interest from trade, private investors and private equity firms, with over 20 interested parties coming forward in total.

The ultimate offer came from Newable Capital and will provide ARC Building Solutions with the investment in order to achieve growth. This has already enabled ARC Building Solutions to relocate to a larger factory which will better enable improvements to the productions process to meet growing demand.

Peter Barrand, who has recently been appointed as managing director of Newable Capital, said: “Newable Capital has been established to support excellent UK companies working at the heart of the economy. The team has screened over 300 investment opportunities this year and ARC is the first of a number of strategic investments we plan to make in the coming months. We are delighted to be supporting Andrew, Russell and the team through the next phase of growth.”

Andrew Danzey, founding shareholder at ARC, added: “ARC has been looking for a new investor for a period of time who can help provide the finance and support to help us drive the business forward as we move to the new factory, develop new products and expand across the UK. We are delighted to be working with Newable Capital to help realise the potential of the business.”

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised our client throughout the process.

Reliance Networks

Reliance Networks, established in 2003, is a specialist provider of the design, installation and support of communication solutions. The Macclesfield based company has developed an excellent reputation which has resulted in high levels of repeat customers.

Reliance Networks instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate the retirement plans of one of the shareholders.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which resulted in over 40 interested parties coming forward. Significant interest came from trade with the successful offer coming from telecommunications company Radius Payment Solutions.

Radius Payment Solutions has recently been ranked 19^th in the 2019 Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100 list, with a turnover of £2.5 billion in 2019. The acquisition acts as the company’s seventh in as many weeks and is part of their diversification plans.

Bill Holmes, Chief Executive of Radius, added: “Reliance Networks is a great addition to Radius, and this acquisition highlights our intention to quickly develop our telecoms offer. Our diversification strategy across the group means we can provide a compelling range of products across telecoms, telematics, insurance and fuel cards. We welcome Reliance Networks to Radius, and we look forward to working with the team.”

Sean Gooding, Managing Director of Reliance Networks, said: “We are extremely proud of the success we and the team have achieved over the last 15 years.  Trusted service delivery is our core strength – this attribute has enabled us to form strong and lasting relationships with our clients whilst providing them with best in class solutions.  Joining forces with Radius will enable us to build on this solid foundation whilst considerably enhancing our product and services offering, both to our existing and new clients. We are all very much looking forward to the next chapter.”

KBS Corporate’s Associate Corporate Director, Tom Eatough, advised Reliance Networks throughout the process.

JHT Fabrications Limited

JHT Fabrications Limited specialise in the design, development and manufacture of products for the environmental, water and construction sectors. The company is based in the North East, and boasts a strong portfolio of national blue-chip clients, many of whom have been with the business over 10 years. JHT Fabrications Limited has been trading for over 15 years, and holds a number of industry accreditations.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate in order to facilitate further growth via the impetus of a new owner.

Following this KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy which generated several interested parties and three competing offers. JHT Fabrications Limited attracted a variety of interest including trade, investment, private and overseas buyers. This allowed KBS Corporate to negotiate an uplift from the initial bids.

The ultimate buyer was IPO Capital a Danish investment firm. The deal structure includes a partial acquisition of JHT Fabrications Limited, with the current shareholder retaining shares in the company post sale. The acquisition will allow IPO Capital to establish an engineering group in the UK, which will be strengthened by further bolt on acquisition is the future.

The deal was overseen by Fabio Rambelli, Associate Director at KBS Corporate, who commented,

“It has been an absolute delight working with Lee and Joanne at JHT and I am confident that IPO Capital will be able to take the business to new and prosperous levels over the coming years.”

Acrypol Limited

Acrypol Limited is a specialist provider of waterproof roofing solutions and provides roof installation based in Cheshire within eight months of initial instruction.

The company was established in 1986 and has developed a strong reputation for a wide product range including Acrypol +, Acrypol Ultra, Acrypol Quartzdek, Acrypol Metal-Kote and Tech Seal PU. Acrypol Limited also benefits from several accreditations including CHAS, NFRC and Constructline. This has allowed the company to operate nationally whilst maintaining several client relationships for over 20 years. The company has also generated loyalty within the business with a number of staff members remaining with Acrypol for a number of years.

The shareholder instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.

KBS Corporate implemented a comprehensive research strategy with a primary focus on trade. Acrypol Limited became a popular acquisition prospect; the company received their first offer before the marketing materials had been completed.

The successful offer came from Cromar Building Products Limited. The company is based in North Yorkshire and offers a range of flat and pitched roofing products and boasts one of the most impressive manufacturing facilities in Europe within the sector. Cromar Building Products Limited has an excellent reputation which is bolstered by Associate Membership of the NFRC. The acquisition of Acrypol Limited acts as a synergy purchase for Cromar Building Products Limited who are looking to expand increase their product offerings.

Mike Marshall, managing director of Whitley Bridge-based Cromar, said,

 “Acrypol is such a renowned name within our industry, it will make an excellent addition to the existing Cromar family of products. We are really looking forward to developing the Acrypol brand name further and consulting with the Acrypol specialists to develop even more great roofing products for the trade.”

Wayne Morgan, sales director at Acrypol, added,

 “Acrypol has over 30 years of recognised excellence and we cannot think of a better company to take this brand onto the next level. With the combined knowledge and customer base of the two businesses the future is definitely looking bright.”

The deal was overseen by KBS Corporate’s Corporate Director Andrew Dodd.

AMC Print Solutions Ltd

AMC Print Solutions Limited, trading as AMC Print Solutions, is based in Northamptonshire and provides high-grade print management services for a national client base.

The company has experienced sizeable growth since founding in 2013, which has enabled AMC Print Solutions to develop a diverse client base including clients in the retail, charity, education sectors. The majority of whom have been with AMC Print Solutions for over five years. The company has developed a reputation for excellence due to investment in the latest technology from respected brands including, Epson, Ricoh, OKI and Samsung. AMC Print Solutions differentiates themselves from their competition by focusing on ethical printing solutions.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to allow them to pursue other business ventures.

Following the implementation of a stringent research strategy the opportunity attracted 33 interested parties, with majority of interest being sourced from trade. The successful offer came from Total Managed Document Solutions and will allow them to increase their position within the printing sector.

AMC Print Solutions was advised by Annie Shiel, KBS Corporate Associate Director.

Contractors Equipment Hire Limited

Contractors Equipment Hire is a well-established hire business which provide an eclectic range of tool and plant hire services, catering for both commercial and domestic clients across the South East of England.

The company was established in 1990 and has grown considerably over the years. This has been aided by Contractors Equipment Hire’s reputation for delivering a quality and reliable service. The company is also well known for a wide range of services including hire of site equipment, concrete and compaction rollers and plates, breakers, driller and fixing and access equipment. Contractors Equipment Hire benefits from high levels of word of mouth referrals, in addition to high rates of repeat customers; with some clients staying with the business for over 20 years.

The shareholders contacted KBS Corporate in order to allow them to pursue other interests with a long-term goal of retirement.

After the implementation of a diverse research plan, KBS Corporate identified a number of interested parties. The majority of interest was generated by trade buyers and private investors. The ultimate offer came from Farnborough Tool Hire as a synergistic purchase.

Our client was advised by Annie Shiel, Associate Director, at KBS Corporate.

Solutions 4 Cleaning Limited

Solutions 4 Cleaning Limited is an award-winning contract cleaning company which operates across Yorkshire.

The company was incorporated in 2000 as part of a franchise and became so successful that the shares were sold back to the franchiser in 2002. Solutions 4 Cleaning Limited continued to excel allowing for their first acquisition in 2007. The company boasts an enviable client list with contacts in the public sector, SMEs, entertainment and events as well as blue-chip clients. The company retains 95% of its clients on 12 month rolling contract and has a healthy selection of ad hoc clients.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to pursue other unrelated business interests.

Solutions 4 Cleaning Limited attracted a lot of interest from trade buyers with the successful offer coming from H.E. Barnes Ltd, who primarily operate as an electrical and mechanical contractor. Over the years H.E. Barnes have diversified in order to offer a holistic approach to their services including commercial cleaning.

The deal was overseen by Nathan Leah, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate.

Big Bolt Limited

Big Bolt Limited is a well-established, since 1973, provider of fixings and fastenings based in Sussex. The company offers a vast range of products in a variety of materials including stainless steel, zinc plating, high tensile steel, nylon and brass. Since 1992 Big Bolt Limited has held ISO 9001 certification, which ensure which has been crucial to generating new business and ascertaining the company’s standing within the sector. The company has developed an excellent reputation and benefits from a global loyal customer base with some clients have remaining with Big Bolt Limited for over 25 years.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise the retirement plans of the Managing Director.

KBS Corporate’s diverse research strategy produced over 26 interested parties, with the majority coming from trade and private investors from the UK and overseas. The ultimate offer came from Opus LED, trading as Opus Lightbulb Technology, who are a wholesaler of high-quality light bulbs across Europe.

The deal was overseen by Sonia Cottrell, Corporate Deal Executive.

Peter Campbell (Sales) Ltd

Rubix UK, backed by private equity firm Advent International, has completed the acquisition of Peter Campbell Sales Ltd (PCS). PCS is a leading specialist supplier of metal cutting tools and offers bespoke manufactured solutions across Oil & Gas, Aerospace & Defence, Automotive and Precision Machining industries.

Operating from two sites between Airdrie, Scotland, and North East England, PCS also manages around 70 industrial vending machines for its customers, with sales of £8m in the last twelve months, following continued strong growth.

Rubix operates on an international basis with over 650 locations in over 22 countries, with a turnover of €2.3 billion in 2018, Rubix is Europe’s largest supplier of industrial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) products and services. This has led to the company being ranked 27^th on the 2019 Sunday Times HSBC Top Track 100, which ranks Britain’s top private companies with the biggest sales.

The acquisition provides Rubix UK with the opportunity to consolidate Rubix’s leadership in the UK specialist cutting tools market, a key growth area for the UK business, following the acquisition of Matrix Tooling Services in 2018.

PCS also brings a new speciality to Rubix – special tools manufacturing and tool regrinding services. In addition, the acquisition will further strengthen Rubix’s expertise and experience in the UK Oil & Gas and Aerospace sectors.

PCS will continue to operate independently to Brammer Buck & Hickman and alongside Matrix Tooling Services. Andy Jeffrey will continue in his role as Managing Director of PCS and will report to Nigel Banks, Rubix UK MD Services Division.

Mark Dixon, CEO Rubix UK said,

 “This acquisition supports our ambition to be recognised as a preferred supplier with the technical expertise and network in place to provide a multi-specialist range of products, services and solutions. It is further evidence of our status as the consolidator of choice for the industrial distribution market in Europe.”

“I am pleased to welcome the PCS team, customers and suppliers into the Rubix family and further reinforce our position as a leader in the UK cutting tools market, by not only expanding our product offering to customers, but also providing strength in depth in both our technical expertise and services.”

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate advised our client throughout the process and commented,

“Given Rubix Group’s acquisition of Matrix Cutting Tools last year, Peter Campbell (Sales) Limited was a great opportunity for Rubix to further build on their presence in the cutting tool sector.  It was a fantastic result for our clients and Rubix Group and I wish them all the best for the future.”

Cablescan

Cablescan is a manufacturer and developer of high-performance cable assemblies and control panels, with clients in the aerospace, defence and commercial sectors. The company has been established for over 24 years and has an impressive client list with a number of UK and global blue-chip clients. In addition to this the company hold ISO 9001 and AS 9100 accreditation and have created a reliable supply chain allowing Cablescan to offer a range of complementary services without becoming reliant on any one supplier. This has enabled Cablescan to generate a multi-million-pound turnover last financial year.

Following the application of a comprehensive research strategy KBS Corporate a selection of predominately trade based interested parties came forward.  

The successful offer came fromAmphenol, a $7bn US Corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  Amphenol is a global interconnect specialist, who have clients in aerospace and the military markets, as well as providing for the industrial market.

Corporate Finance Director, Jay Singh, advised our client throughout the process.

Electronic Security Plus Limited

Electronic Security Plus Limited, based in Hampton Hill, provides bespoke electronic security solutions across the UK and Ireland. The company is SafeContractor approved and an authorised partner of Axis communications, ACT, Vanderbilt and Vista CCTV.

Established in 2003 the company saw rapid success through obtaining an ongoing contract with Homebase. Since then Electronic Security Plus Limited has continued to gain blue-chip clients within the commercial and industrial sectors. Due to the company’s high levels of customer care and deliverance of excellence service, 95% of Electronic Security Plus Limited’s client base consists of repeat clients.

The shareholders contacted KBS Corporate in order to facilitate the sale of their business due to their retirement wishes.

KBS Corporate applied a diverse research strategy process which identified 37 interested parties resulting in six buyer meetings and three offers. The accepted offer was placed by Permanex Site Security, who are a well-established construction security specialist. The acquisition of Electronic Security Plus Limited acts as a synergy purchase for Permanex Site Security who are looking to increase their geographic footprint.

The deal was overseen by Matthew Sibley, Corporate Deal Executive at KBS Corporate.

Medbank Healthcare Solutions Limited

Medbank Healthcare Solutions Limited, trading as Medbank Healthcare, are healthcare recruitment specialists who provide temporary and permanent recruitment solutions across the West Midlands. The company works with clients in the both the NHS and private sector organisations.  Over 16 years Medbank Healthcare has established itself within the industry and is highly regarded for retaining Platinum status during its NHS THE annual audit scoring 99.52% in 2014 and 100% in 2016.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate lifestyle changes.

Medbank Healthcare attracted a range of interest from private buyers and Private Equity houses though most interest came from trade, overall the company attracted two offers. The final buyer being Chester Healthcare Limited a subsidiary to Revolution Investment Holdings Limited, tabled a competing and attractive initial bid. The acquisition will act as a continuation of Chester Healthcare Limited current expansion plans.

The deal was overseen by Annie Shiel, KBS Corporate Associate Director, who commented,

“KBS quickly built a rapport with both the seller and buyer through this process. We handled all negotiations and the overall process from start to finish which allowed the seller and buyer to concentrate on only the commercial post-sale matters.”

Quality Villas Limited

Quality Villas Limited, trading as Quality Villas, is a specialist travel business with over 35 years of experience. The company boasts an impressive portfolio of over 400 luxury holiday villa rental properties across Europe and North Africa. Quality Villas provide a bespoke exclusive holiday experience including airport transfers and catering services. The company has an extensive international client base and a database of 22,000 prospective clients.

The shareholders’ instructed KBS Corporate in order to ease their retirement plans and allow for more time to be spent with their family. KBS Corporate then implemented a comprehensive research plan which resulted in a noteworthy amount of trade interest.

The successful offer came from Palmer & Parker LLP, trading as Palmer & parker, a small villa holiday specialist within excess of 40 years’ experience. The acquisition acts as a synergy purchase in order to widen the company’s reach within Europe.

Jacob Lord, KBS Corporate Deal Executive, advised our clients throughout the deal.

Bartlett Davis Communications Limited

Bartlett Davis Communications Limited was established in 2003 and began trading as Bartlett Davis Communications. The company provides a wide range of marketing services for the pharmaceutical sector, specialising in media buying and placement both on and offline.

Bartlett Davis Communications has nurtured an excellent reputation and a prestigious blue-chip client base including Pfizer, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim and Astellas, Bausch and Lomb. This client list has contributed to the company currently representing 20% of all money spent on pharmaceutical brand advertising, securing Bartlett Davis Communications as the UK market leader. The company benefits from a global reach due to ‘Approved Supplier’ status to nine of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies.

The shareholders engaged KBS Corporate’s services in order to ease their retirement plans.

Following the implementation of a highly successful research strategy, 31 interested parties came forward which produced three buyer meetings and two competing offers. The success offer came from OneHealth Communications Group, previously trading as Home Marketing Limited. The buyer was obtained through KBS Corporate Crossmatch system. This marks OneHealth Communications Group second acquisition with KBS Corporate in the past 18 months.

Bartlett Davis Communications commented on the deal,

“We are delighted to announce that as of 29th August 2019, Bartlett Davis Communications have become part of the ONEHealth Communications family. This will give us access to the DATA4NHS email base – 400,000 verified NHS emails to give our clients highly targeted access to lucrative healthcare professionals. This is an exciting innovation that will only enhance our media buying service and evolve our media buying offering across the healthcare industry.”

Corporate Deal Executive, Matthew Sibley, advised our client throughout the process.

MBM Consulting Ltd

MBM Consulting Ltd provide commercial consultancy services to international construction and civil engineering clients. The company was established in 1999 and has developed an exceptional reputation boasting impressive client retention rates, currently standing at 90%. MBM Consulting Ltd is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and has worked with several recognised clients including Muscat International Airport, London Stadium and Royal Albert Hall.

Following a diverse research plan resulting in several interested parties coming forward. The eventual buyer SiVEST is a South Africa based company established in 1952, that offers a wide range of business consultancy services to engineering, surveying and consulting clients. The company has an excellent reputation which is supported by a plethora of awards including the Ackermans Excellence Award for Civil Engineering 2018, Steel Awards: SAFINTRA Factory & Warehouse Category Winner 2018 and PMR Africa Golden Arrow Award on Consulting Engineering Firms 2018.

 The Deal was overseen by Harry McDonnell, Corporate Deal Executive.

E-Dataware Limited t/a e-clinic

ClearCourse Partnership, backed by New York-based Private Equity fund Aquiline Capital, has acquired E-Dataware Limited for an undisclosed fee.

Based in West Yorkshire, E-Dataware Limited, trading as e-clinic, provides patient and clinic management software for the healthcare sector.

The business was founded in 2002, and specialises in software which simplifies operations via workflow management and workload automation within the medical clinic sector. This has led to e-clinic gaining multiple blue chip and global clients. The business proved particularly attractive to acquirers due to the focus on innovation, which has made e-clinic a forerunner within either field; seen by the introduction of automated text messages, multi-layered diaries and integrated card payments.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of the company in order to expediate their retirement plans. A diverse marketing strategy was instigated which resulted in several offers being presented.

ClearCourse Partnership LLP was the eventual buyer backed by Aquiline Capital Partners, who are currently on an aggressive buy-and-build strategy. As a result, e-clinic marks ClearCourse’s 13^th acquisition since October 2018. ClearCourse motivation for the acquisition is to further their product offerings and to diversify.

Gerry Gualtieri, CEO of ClearCourse, commented,

“e-clinic is a dynamic new addition to ClearCourse Partnership. The company has developed a strong reputation in the healthcare sector for delivering first-class management solutions to an impressive list of clients around the world. We see great opportunity for commercial synergies between e-clinic and the wider Partnership, particularly around the provision of payments and membership management tools. We’re excited to work closely with the team to realise those synergies and support the Company’s continued growth and development.”

Mark Lainchbury, Managing Director of e-clinic added,

“We’re very proud to have build e-clinic into the highly successful, market-leading business that it is today. By joining the ClearCourse Partneship, we have access to a valuable range of resources and operational expertise that will allow us to continues to grow, develop and realise our ambitious plans for the future. We remain dedicated to creating the best possible product for our clients so that we can continue to improve patient care around the world.” Advice was given for the seller by Guy Haynes and Matthew Sibley from KBS Corporate, and from Gateley PLC (Khurshid Valli and Poppy Ball) on the legal side.  Legal advice for the buyers was provided by Squire Patton Boggs.

Loxton Installations

Loxton Installations is an established industrial electrical contractor based in Kent.

The company was established as Landrake in 1976 following a merger with Loxton Engineering. In 1977, the company rebranded as Loxton Installations. The company operates across a range of sectors from printing to food production; providing power, control and data cable installation; proactive maintenance; lighting design and installation services.

Due to the wide variety of services available and the quality of Loxton Installations’ work, the company has established long-lasting client relationships, several of which span over 40 years.

Loxton Installations has received many accolades over the years including the Institute of Civil Engineerings’ Engineering Excellence award in 2014. The company has also earned multiple safety accreditations such as Safe Contractor and membership of the British Safety Council.

The shareholder of Loxton Installations instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to phase into their retirement plans. This would allow for a gradual reduction of involvement in the business, whilst further allowing growth under new ownership.

Succeeding KBS Corporate’s effective research strategy, 34 interested parties came forward with three significant offers being presented. The majority of interest was generated from trade however, there was also noteworthy attention from private investors.

The ultimate offer was made by a private investor who intends to build a group of companies providing services related to the construction sector.

WA & A Maintenance

WA & A Maintenance provide installation and maintenance of electrical and mechanical services for commercial and residential properties to London and the immediate surrounding areas.

The company was formed in 1991 as Wilkinson Aldcroft and Associates, later becoming WA & A Maintenance in 2002. The longevity of the company has resulted in the generation of over 900 clients, the vast majority of who are repeat customers, and have been with the WA & A Maintenance for over 10 years.

KBS Corporate was tasked with the sale of WA & A Maintenance in order to allow the current Managing Director to pursue other business interests.

A wide-ranging research strategy was implemented with a primary focus on larger trade buyers within the HVAC sector. This proved highly effective and led to 26 interested parties. The bulk of interest came from trade however WA & A Maintenance also attracted attention from investment groups and private buyers. There was also a notable uplift in final offers, which, in part, was attributed to rising business performance.

The successful offer came from trade buyer Scubair Limited. The company specialises in air conditioning, ventilation & electrical services for commerical and residential properties. WA & A Maintenance is Scubair Limited’s first acquisition in their current expansion plans. The key motivations for the acquisition are to expand Scubair Limited’s customer base and geographical reach. Nathan Leah, Corporate Deal Executive, advised on the deal.

Lodent Precision Limited

Lodent Precision Limited has been acquired by Beroskin Limited for an undisclosed sum.

Lodent Precision is a precision engineering specialist with a primary focus on the manufacturing of new press tools for the automotive industry. The company began trading in 1978 in the West Midlands. Lodent Precision remained in the county and later was awarded with the Black Country Business of the Year Award due to their service to the engineering sector.

The shareholders of Lodent Precision instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans, although both Paul Riley and Jeff Bates will remain with the business for a period of time post-tranasction

Following strong interest from a number of parties and three competing offers, the ultimate buyer was Beroskin Limited. Beroskin Limited is controlled by Valery Beroskin and now comprises two engineering companies, with further acquisitions anticipated as the company seeks to become a multi-purpose engineering group.

Guy Haynes, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised on the deal alongside Andy Melbourne and commented,

“I’m delighted for Paul and Jeff – while they are required in the business in the short term, they can now start to look forward to a well-earned retirement.  Lodent is a highly-regarded company that has thrived despite the uncertainty within the automotive sector, and which has the potential to grow further with the right guidance.”

Legal advice was provided for the sellers by EMW (Simon Arkell and Sean Halliwell) and for the buyers by Keystone Law.

Adria Glass Limited

Adria Glass Limited, trading as Adria Glass, was established in 1989 and manufacturers high-quality double and triple glazed glass. Based in Barnsley, the independent manufacturer produces bevelled, etched, Georgian, leaded and stained-glass designs for clients across the Yorkshire region. 

The company prides itself on a reputation for excellence and received BS EN 1279 certification for sealed units in 1997. The company works with a wide range of glass types, including float, Pilkington Pattern and toughened, to ensure a full breadth of services for their clients.  This has resulted in Adria Glass generating an extremely loyal client base with several staying with the company for over 29 years.

Our clients instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to realise their retirement plans.  Following the employment of a detailed research strategy, KBS Corporate sourced several interested parties. The majority of interest came from private investors however, some trade interest was generated.

The successful offer came from a private investor who intends to establish a foothold within the glass manufacturing sector.

The deal was overseen by Daniel Welsby. 

Noberne Doors

Noberne Doors is a door manufacturing specialist based in Leeds.

The company was established in 1975 and has worked with many blue-chip clients over 44 years. Noberne specialises in security, fire, acoustic, x-ray, external doors and their reputation has led to them becoming well respected within their sector. This respect is bolstered by the company becoming founding members of the BM TRADA Q-MARK fire door scheme, the ASDMA and members of the British Woodworking Federation and attaining an FSC Chain of Custody certification.

The shareholders of Noberne Doors instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to pursue other business plans. Due to the shareholders wishing for the company to achieve further growth, a research strategy that focussed on trade buyers and private equity firms was implemented.

The successful offer came from a private equity buyer Kerry Hill Limited, who are a subsidiary of Merino Private Equity. The firm invests in a range of businesses from a plethora of sectors including building, manufacturing and education. The purchase acts as a bolt on acquisition for the Kerry Hill portfolio company.

The deal was overseen by Matthew Sibley, KBS Corporate Deal Executive who commented, “I believe that we have found an excellent match as Noberne Doors will now been able to grow further; whilst Merino has developed their company portfolio further.”

Mobius Networks Limited

Mobius Networks Limited is a well-established company based in Leicestershire. MNL is an industry leader within the technology sector and was the UK’s first integrated data airtime provider. The company is a highly regarded mobile virtual network operator which specialises in Machine to Machine and Internet of Things applications to the healthcare, transport and retail sectors.

The company has cultivated an excellent reputation through maintaining high levels of security whilst ensuring abundant capacity even during the busiest of times. This has resulted in MNL generating an impressive client list including local councils, national transport providers and prominent businesses including Manchester Airport and the Highways Agency. In addition to this MNL has a range of blue-chip industrial and retail clients including Aldi, Dunelm, Google, IBM and Siemens.

KBS Corporate Finance secured a management buy-out for MNL. The deal saw the company securing funding from NVM Private Equity Vintage III L.P. (NVM), as part of their current expansion plans. This marks the second deal KBS Corporate Finance has completed with NVM in as many weeks and is the firms seventh IT sector acquisition.

Doug Gilmour, MNL Managing Director commented, “Mobius Networks is delighted to be partnering with NVM. The opportunity to rapidly scale Mobius in the vast and vastly growing IOT and industrial internet market is compelling. The technical capability of the Mobius team and its value proposition is exceptional. This combined with the support and expertise of the NVM team, means that there are even more exciting times ahead for Mobius Networks.”

Andy Leach, Investment Partner of NVM Private Equity said, “Mobius’ focus on high uptime, mission critical applications differentiates it from the wider IoT market. With both IoT and M2M markets forecast to exhibit strong growth characteristics over the next few years, Mobius is well positioned to expand its customer base and introduce its products into a wider range of end-user markets. Consequently, we are delighted to be backing Doug and the rest of the Mobius team at what is an especially exciting stage of the company’s development and evolution.” David Gardner, KBS Corporate Finance Director advised our client throughout the process.

Secure Retail Limited

Secure Retail Limited, (Secure Retail), has been providing complete payment solutions since 2003. The company provides a wide range of hardware, managed services and software products to the retail, hospitality and infrastructure sector. 

Secure Retail is recognised as a true market leader and well respected by world class manufactures and software developers including Aevi, Barclaycard, Mastercard and Verifone. Innovation is key to the company’s success reflected in their early adoption of tablet and Cloud security in order to enhance productivity and operational efficiency. Secure Retail’s reputation within the industry, is bolstered by the inclusion of the company’s own support package which far exceeds the PCI PTS 5 standard. The combination of innovation, enhanced security measures and excellent reputation made Secure Retail an incredibly attractive prospect.

KBS Corporate Finance implemented a thorough research strategy and the ultimate offer came from NVM Private Equity III L.P. The Private Equity firm benefits from over 30 years’ experience, investing in a range of sectors.  The investor is currently seeking to increase their geographic foothold within the Midlands region.

Secure Managing Director David Russell said, “Secure Retail is delighted to be partnering with NVM. From our very first meeting it was clear that NVM had the appetite and understanding to add considerable weight to the exciting product strategy being delivered by the Secure Retail team. The next phase of payment security will undoubtedly create the potential for significant growth in software, hardware and support services. Secure Retail supported by NVM is well placed to capitalise on this opportunity”.

Andy Leach, Investment Partner of NVM Private Equity said, “We are delighted to be partnering with Carl, David and rest of Secure’s highly experienced management team to take the business forward through the next period of its growth. The payments market is necessarily becoming more complex and specialised given heightened regulatory and security considerations, coupled with increasing demands from consumers for speed and flexibility. The expertise that Secure has built over the past 15+ years will be of considerable value in such a dynamic market.”

The deal was overseen by David Gardner, KBS Corporate Finance Director.

Deba UK Ltd

Deba UK Ltd, a specialist cooling tower engineering and environment compliance company based in the South East of England, has been acquired by Netherlands based Nijhuis Industries, who operate in the UK as Nijhuis Industries UK and Ireland. The Dutch water and wastewater company agreed to the deal with Deba UK in order to complement their existing portfolios of products.

Since 1972, Deba UK have provided engineering services, products and technologies that enable organisations to meet their health, safety and environmental obligations in areas of Legionella compliance as well as water and ventilation hygiene. They are a proven provider of mechanical and chemical solutions for cooling towers and also provide wastewater bio-organic catalyst applications.

The acquisition is immediately effective and Deba UK Ltd has now become part of Nijhuis Industries strategy of growing its presence in the UK and Ireland. As part of this strategy, Deba UK will be renamed to Nijhuis DEBA Ltd and its office in Wokingham will be added to the existing presence in Truro and Bristol.

Menno Holterman, Nijhuis Industries CEO, commented on the deal and said, “The DEBA suite of services is an excellent fit with our global vision of providing water and wastewater services that recognise the increasing scarcity of water resources and that contribute to the circular economy. The acquisition would result in an integrated turnkey offer for water and wastewater solutions offering customers a ‘one-stop shop’ and benefit from Nijhuis added value services like i-Consult, i-Monitoring & Control and Operations. Therewith also addressing the fast-growing demand to deliver solid and adaptive solutions for a sustainable and resilient future.”.

Mike Platt, the Managing Director of Deba UK Ltd added, “I am confident that this acquisition is good for the Company and for the employees and will open-up many opportunities for the business going forward”.

The deal was overseen by Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, who commented, “After a competitive bidding process, it was clear that Nijhuis Industries was the most suited acquirer for Deba UK. The acquisition enables Nijhuis to expand on their presence in the UK, whilst opening up international opportunities for Deba and an additional service offering in the UK. I am sure the acquisition will be a great success and I wish both parties all the best for the future.”

Mike Platt remain with the company and work for the new combined group as Nijhuis DEBA Business Development Director. Ian Stentiford has been appointed Managing Director Nijhuis UK and Ireland.

Studioworx

Studioworx has been established for over 15 years and are digital marketing specialists with print experience. The business provides a wide range of services comprising of branding, web design and e-commerce enhancements. Studioworx relies on a dedicated team who deliver excellent customer service. This has led to the business earning a wide range of accreditations and awards including Digital Entrepreneur Award finalists in 2018, RAR recommendation and Magento Certified. Over the years Studioworx has developed an enviable customer base including a well-known footwear provider, a drugstore and a stationary retailer.

KBS Corporate implemented an exhaustive research strategy which resulted in over 35 NDA’s being signed.

The final investment came from Three Crowns Holdings Limited who provide investment into mid-market companies in the media and technology industries. Studioworx is Three Crowns Holdings Limited third acquisition recently and will help grow the company’s profile further.

The deal was overseen by Sonia Cottrell, Corporate Deal Executive, who commented, “The deal will allow Studiworx to continue to grow and benefit from Three Crown Holdings Limited investment and expertise. It has been a pleasure working with Studioworx.”

Fatherson Bakery Limited

Fatherson Bakery Limited, trading as Fatherson Bakery, is a nationwide traditional bakery with over 10 years’ experience. The company has a core product line of 80 with an additional 24 seasonal products added over the year. Fatherson Bakery benefits from a strong sense of homemade brand which has led to the business becoming easily recognisable. Furthermore, the quality of the products is enviable with the company gaining multiple awards including several Great Taste Gold awards. In addition to this, Fatherson Bakery has fostered excellent client relationship which has produced long-standing relationships with blue chip retail buying groups.

The shareholder’s contacted KBS Corporate in order to facilitate retirement plans of two and allow another to invest more time in other business interests. One of the shareholders will remain with Fatherson Bakery.

The final buyers were Laurence Smith, Megan Smith and Mark Lewis with the former having a breadth of experience with the fast-moving consumer goods industry. The new owners intend to diversify the product range by establishing their own gluten free range and instilling an environmentally friendly ethos however the homemade aesthetic will remain at the core of the brand.

The deal was overseen by Andrew Dodd, Corporate Director at KBS Corporate.

Formby Tool Hire Ltd

Formby Tool Hire is a holistic equipment hire company serving a range of sectors operating from landscaping to welding. The business is well-established and based in Merseyside.

The owner of Formby Tool Hire instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans. A thorough research strategy was implemented, with a preference for trade buyers in line with our client’s requirements. This resulted in high levels of interest particularly from UK trade buyers, with some interest from Private Equity and Overseas trade buyers.

The ultimate buyer was the Smiths Hire Group as a synergy purchase. The company currently includes several branches within the North West however, they wish to expand their geographical reach to include Formby making Formby Tool Hire an ideal acquisition. The business benefits from a rich history with over 150 years’ experience in the industrial sector.

Simon Thompson of Formby Tool Hire noted,‘’Smiths Equipment Hire are a great outfit and will no doubt offer great prospects to all Formby Tool Hire customers and staff, I am very pleased with the outcome and I am sure Formby Tool Hire will provide a great platform to take Smiths Equipment Hire from strength to strength. We look forward to working with David Smith and, Thomas Smith and their team.’’

The deal was overseen by Jacob Lord, KBS Corporate Deal Executive, who commented, “Simon Thompson from Formby Tool Hire was an absolute pleasure to work with and Smiths Equipment Hire was very professional throughout. They outlined a specific timetable for proceedings and were very to the point in their discussions. The acquisition is perfect for both parties as Smiths gain an invaluable foothold in Formby to continue their expansion in the North West, whilst my client reaches retirement and a perfect home for his current staff whom have served Formby loyally for many years. I have no doubt the addition of Formby Tool Hire to Smiths Equipment Hire will yield positive results for all parties and I wish them the best of luck for the future.”

Microcomputer Workshop Limited

Microcomputer Workshop Limited, trading as MWL Systems, provide a variety of IT services and support. Services include consultancy, support, cloud and software solutions and infrastructure and hardware support. The company holds Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Gold Partner accreditation.

MWL Systems instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business and a detailed research strategy was pursued. The primary focus became Private Equity and trade buyers which generated 30 interested parties coming forward and 4 offers being received. The majority of interest came from existing trade within the IT and telecoms companies.

The successful offer was made by Elite Group, which is their 17th acquisition since 2008. The company has benefitted from a funding package, of £30m, from Lloyds Bank in order to support growth through acquisition with the target being set at a £100m annual turnover by 2021. Rob Sims, Elite CEO, commented on the deal,

“Our current plans are to take us up to a £100m business with the majority of that coming from mobility and IT.

“But the big step jumps will be from acquisitions and we look forward to making more. Companies such as MWL give our customers new services and it’s that value adding factor that we look for in acquisitions.”

The deal was overseen by KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, Tom Eatough, who added

“I am really pleased that we managed to secure a deal with Elite Group that enables the retirement of the founding shareholders of MWL.  MWL is a fantastic company and will be a great addition to Elite as they continue to progress their ambitious growth plans.  I would like to wish our clients and Elite all the best for the future.”

East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited

East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited is a heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems specialist based in Blackburn, Lancashire. The company offers a range of services covering all aspects covering surveying, design, installation and on-going maintenance.

KBS was instructed with the sale of East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited in order to facilitate the retirement plans of the majority shareholder. It became clear that an established trade buyer would be the best fit, as this would allow East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited to benefit from a supportive platform which would enable further growth.

Following a thorough research process targeting predominately trade buyers and Private Equity Firms; East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited 15 interested parties came forward resulting in 2 offers.  The greater levels of interest were generated by trade buyers which better suited our clients’ wishes.

Ultimately East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited was acquired by Johnson Controls Building Efficiency UK Limited which is part od Johnson Controls International plc and produces revenue in excess of £30 billion worldwide. This proved very beneficial to East Lancashire Refrigeration Limited as the acquisition best fit our clients’ needs.

The deal was overseen by Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director, and commented,

“Johnson Controls are well suited to take the company forward and I am sure the acquisition will be a great success.  I very much enjoyed working on this transaction and the sellers/buyers alike were great to deal with.  I am really pleased with the result and wish both parties all the best.”

Eurotech Services (UK) Limited

Eurotech was established in 1984 and deliver a range of IT support and maintenance services including software management, network and data security, hardware solutions and cloud telephony support. The business relies on a small dedicated team who provide a high level of customer service. In addition to this Eurotech is a CISO partner. This has led to Eurotech gaining an excellent reputation and blue chip clients including a Premier League Football club. Overall the business sees high levels of customer retention, as well a strong growth through new customers.

The majority shareholder of Eurotech directed KBS Corporate with the sale in order to facilitate their retirement plans. The other two shareholders will remain in their current roles to assist the new owner.

KBS Corporate implemented a diverse research strategy with a firm focus on trade buyers. This resulted in 44 NDAs and 5 offers. A deadline was put in place in order to receive the most competitive offer for Eurotech. This created an uplift in final bids which was further improved during negotiation.

The ultimate buyer was Equity Networks whose key services include the management of communications, cloud applications, cloud infrastructure and security. The business pride themselves on their flexible personable approach which has been upheld since 2010.  Equity Networks’ motivation for sale was to allow the expansion of their client base and increase their market share.

The buyer, Equity Networks is experiencing a period of strong and sustained growth and has plans for further acquisitions over the next 3 years to hit their £10m recurring revenue target.

Fabio Rambelli, Associate Director at KBS Corporate advised our client throughout the deal and commented,

“The deal has allowed Tim Bulmer of Eurotech to take a closer step to retirement and ensures that his company will continue to prosper under the guidance of Equity Networks. I can say that is has been a pleasure working with the Sellers and the Buyers and wish all parties the best of luck in their future endeavours.”

Spotnails Ltd

Spotnails is based in South Wales, Bedwas and manufactures, services and supplies

Spotnails is based in Bedwas, South Wales, and manufactures, services and supplies Pneumatic Tools and Collated Fastenings. The company is well established and offers their own products as well as stocking other brands. Spotnails operate in a variety of sectors ranging from marine to funeral sevices.

KBS Corporate secured a management buy-out deal for Spotnails. The deal saw the company securing a £25 million fund which will preserve 24 jobs and was sourced by the Development Bank of Wales, through the Wales Management Succession Fund. Further funding was provided by the management team and Ultimate Finance. The investment will ensure Jason Quaife, Sales Manager, and John Jefferys, Finance Director will remain in their roles at the company.

Mr Quaife commented, “I’ve been with Spotnails now for 12 years and this is Craig’s 26th year in the company. I have a sales background and Craig has the tooling background from his apprenticeship here. The management buy-out is a very attractive opportunity for us both and it gives us a great advantage as most of the technical experts in the industry have retired or are about to retire.

“We have huge ambitions for the company and the support from the Development Bank of Wales is crucial to achieving these. We are very much a belt-and-braces industry. We are securing relationships and working with several manufacturers with strong brands to sell into the UK. We want to become the largest independent distributor of these types of products with our own branded product range too.”

KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, Tom Eatough advised on the deal and noted, “After what was a difficult due diligence and legal process, I was really pleased to be able to reach a successful conclusion for the sellers.  We ran a comprehensive research process and received a number of indicative offers, but ultimately the MBO team were best placed to take the company forward with the support of Development Bank of Wales.  I am sure the acquisition will be a great success and I wish both parties all the best for the future.”

Pneumatic Tools and Collated Fastenings. The company is well established and offers their own products as well as stocking other brands. Spotnails operate in a variety of sectors ranging from marine to funeral sevices.

KBS Corporate secured a management buy-out deal for Spotnails. The deal saw the company securing a £25 million fund which will preserve 24 jobs and was sourced by the Development Bank of Wales, through the Wales Management Succession Fund. Further funding was provided by the management team and Ultimate Finance. The investment will ensure Jason Quaife, Sales Manager, and John Jefferys, Finance Director will remain in their roles at the company.

John Quaife commented,

“I’ve been with Spotnails now for 12 years and this is Craig’s 26th year in the company. I have a sales background and Craig has the tooling background from his apprenticeship here. The management buy-out is a very attractive opportunity for us both and it gives us a great advantage as most of the technical experts in the industry have retired or are about to retire.

“We have huge ambitions for the company and the support from the Development Bank of Wales is crucial to achieving these. We are very much a belt-and-braces industry. We are securing relationships and working with several manufacturers with strong brands to sell into the UK. We want to become the largest independent distributor of these types of products with our own branded product range too.”

KBS Corporate Associate Corporate Director, Tom Eatough advised on the deal and noted,

“After what was a difficult due diligence and legal process, I was really pleased to be able to reach a successful conclusion for the sellers.  We ran a comprehensive research process and received a number of indicative offers, but ultimately the MBO team were best placed to take the company forward with the support of Development Bank of Wales.  I am sure the acquisition will be a great success and I wish both parties all the best for the future.”

McAusland Turner Limited

McAusland Turner is the oldest Marine Surverying and Consulting firm in the port of Hull. The business was established in 1888. Over the years McAusland Turner has developed an excellent reputation, and established relationships with many blue-chip clients.  The company offers a variety of services, including but not limited to, auditing to legal support.

KBS Corporate was instructed with the sale of McAusland Turner and quickly implemented a thorough research strategy. This resulted in an offer from overseas buyer Van Ameyde.

Van Ameyde, based in The Netherlands, provide financial and legal support to businesses.

McAusland Turner’s Managing Director, Arthur Weatherhill commented on the sale,

“The company and its clients will benefit from Van Ameyde’s marine surveying network. Thanks to our mutual vision of providing high-quality services to the marine insurance market, we uphold employment and growth.”

Van Ameyde board member Bob de Bruijn stated that,

“The acquisition is part of Van Ameyde’s strategy to expand its Loss-Adjusting & Surveying network. The UK being the largest marine insurance market, expansion of our marine surveying network to the Uk is vital. In McAusland Turner, we have found the perfect match in terms of quality and identity.”

The deal was overseen by Andrew Dodd, KBS Corporate Director.

Protel (Professional Telecom) Solutions Limited

Protel Solutions, based on the Isle of Wight, provide advanced communications solutions to a variety of sectors including education, defence and telecommunications. The company was established in 2004. Protel Solutions prides themselves on their customer first approach, which is delivered through their network of engineers who have vast experience in several specialities. The company provide support for a plethora of communications solutions including Fibre Optics, Synchronous Digital Hierarchy and Radio Access Systems.

KBS Corporate was instructed with the sale of Protel Solutions to permit the owner to pursue their other business interest and develop their property portfolio.

KBS Corporate then employed a detailed research strategy including the production of marketing materials, out reach to prospective trade buyers and marketing through professional platforms.

This proved highly successful and resulted in 31 NDAs being received and produced a number of competitive offers.

The successful offer was made by WDSI Ltd who acquired a 75% share of Protel Solutions. This arrangement allows the new buyers to benefit from the owners’ experience and retained interest.  This enabled  the owner to continue to benefit from all major contracts won before the sale. The deal included cash on completion with a 20% cash retention to be released over the first 30 days following completion dependant on performance.

WDSI Ltd offer wireless solutions in a range of sectors including large venue entertainment systems, public transport,  retail and leisure. Since the company’s inception in 2001 WDSI Ltd has specialised in network diagnostics, user support, system administrations and server maintenance. WDSI Ltd works with a variety of blue-chip clients.

The deal was overseen by Jacob Lord of KBS Corporate who commented,

“It was a real pleasure to work with Peter from Protel throughout the process. I am very pleased with the outcome as Peter will continue to receive returns from Protel and see the businesses legacy continue, under WDSI’s leadership. I wish all parties involved the best of luck in their future endeavours and I am confident Protel will bolster WDSI’s core competencies and take them from strength to strength.”

Geo-Info Limited

Geo-Info specialise in underground mapping and surveying to the rail and engineering sectors and operates across England, Ireland and Scotland.

Since inception in 2012, the company has gained several industry accreditations, shown considerable growth and engaged in numerous large, well-publicised rail projects.

Over this time the company has established a strong reputation within the industry, consistently providing a high quality, innovative service, led by an experienced team.

The shareholders of Geo-Info instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of the company in order to pursue other business interests whilst ensuring the growth of Geo-Info through the impetus of a new owner.

KBS Corporate instigated a thorough research strategy, targeting a range of buyers across both trade and private equity. Over 20 interested parties came forward, which included a mix of buyer types, including several large civil engineering and construction companies.

The ultimate acquirer was SML Group Limited, who are operating an acquisitive buy-and-build strategy and saw the acquisition of Geo-Info as an ideal opportunity to ensure the diversification of their client base, whilst also allowing for an increase in capacity, resource and geographic coverage.

Fabio Rambelli, Associate Director at KBS Corporate advised our clients on the deal, and commented, ‘It has been a pleasure working with Adrian and Niall of Geo-Info, as well as the buyers. I’m confident that Tom Harpin of SML Group will be able to successfully take Geo-Info to the next level and provide the same level of care and dedication to the company’s clients that Adrian, Niall and the rest of the Geo-Info team have previously provided. I wish all parties the best of luck with their future endeavours.’

G E Door Manufacturing Limited

GE Door Solutions has been acquired by DK Group in a multi-million pound deal advised by KBS Corporate.

The deal sees an initial 75% stake in GE Doors (inclusive of GE Door Manufacturing and GE Carpentry Services) acquired by DK Group, with the remaining stake acquired over the next four years.

GE Doors are a leading manufacturer of doorsets, screens and ironmongery to the education, health and commercial sectors. Established in 1999, the South Wales based company has established itself as a key player within the industry, utilising technology, an experienced team of employees and significant resources to provide certified solutions to all clients.

Recently, GE Doors has expanded nationally, serviced by its own fleet of delivery vehicles to further support key customers and enhance the company’s service offering.

The shareholders of GE Door Solutions instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of the business to allow them to begin their retirement plans.

Following the production of marketing materials and a thorough research process, the opportunity attracted DK Group, who saw GE Doors as the ideal business to complement its existing portfolio. DK Group are currently operating an on-going acquisition strategy to enhance their current resources.

Jay Singh of KBS Corporate advised our clients on the deal throughout and commented, “GE Doors Group is a business that has been built up by the founding shareholder over the last 20 years. It has an excellent reputation in the market and the founder was keen to exit the business, but protect the businesses’ employees going forward. DK Group was the ideal strategic buyer as it allowed the founder to partially exit, but remain involved in the business and allowed the Sales Director to step up to the position of Managing Director with the support of the Board of DK Group”.

Gary Evans and Jason Pincombe commented:

“DK Group, as a family owned business, shares the GE Doors business philosophy, and by joining forces, we will be creating a platform for continued growth for both GE Doors and DK Group. We look forward to working with Kevin Higginson and his team,”

Kevin Higginson, CEO of DK Group Investments said:

“I am thrilled to welcome Gary, Jason and the entire GE Doors team to the DK Group and its family of businesses. We are excited by the opportunities available to GE Doors to continue its strong growth in the UK specialist doors market. We look forward to working with and investing in the GE Doors business, to make the most of these opportunities.”

ESM Global Limited

ESM Global specialise in the development of optical fibre equipment, providing design and installation services to educational institutes and photonic companies across the globe.

The Company has been established for over 20 years, amassing an impressive, global client base within this time. The projects undertaken by ESM include optical fibre drawing equipment, fibre rewinding machines, laboratory cleanrooms and gas scrubbing equipment.

As the shareholders of ESM Global began to look towards their retirement plans, they instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business.

Following a thorough research strategy by KBS Corporate, a range of interested parties came forward, which included both trade and investment buyers across the globe.

Ultimately, a deal was agreed with Ifiber Optoelectronics Technology, a Beijing based specialist in the research, development and manufacture of optical fibre sensors.

Ifiber Optoelectronics Technology also provide thermal detection systems, temperature measurement systems and other integrated services. The buyer is currently one of the leading providers of optical fibre technology in China, having built an established reputation and service since inception.

Nathan Leah, Deal Executive at KBS Corporate advised on the deal and commented, ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this deal from start to finish. I believe the deal will be very beneficial for Ifiber, allowing them to cement their position in China and to branch out into new and exciting directions. I wish nothing but the best for all involved and I would like to thank all parties for their co-operation throughout the process.’

FreedomMusic

FreedomMusic acquired by Imagesound Group Limited

FreedomMusic is a specialist provider of licence-included audio services for background music, catering to a range of needs including in-store radios, retail, leisure and hospitality.

FreedomMusic has a proven track record of helping businesses save money through the use of royalty free music. The music offered by FreedomMusic is original and written and performed by new artists across the globe.

Based in Hampshire, the business has amassed a strong client base, having achieved ISO 9001 quality accreditation, they are associated with a high-quality service.

Following the instruction of KBS Corporate with the sale of the business, the goodwill and assets of FreedomMusic were sold to Imagesound, a leading provider of in store music solutions to retailers, health clubs and restaurants.

A majority stake in Imagesound Group was sold to ECI Partners, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate. ECI is one of the most successful private equity groups in the UK, and have enabled the significant growth of Imagesound.

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director advised our clients at FreedomMusic throughout the deal.

Process Control Services UK Limited

Process Control Services (PCS) is an industrial electrical engineering and control contractor based in Derbyshire.

The company offer a range of electrical engineering and control solutions, including electrical day work, maintenance and breakdowns and electrical installations.

Having been in operation for over 20 years, PCS has established a strong client base and presence within multiple industries.

The shareholders instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business. A management buy-in team acquired the company, backed by Panoramic Growth Equity.

The investment will provide the business with additional working capital to enable growth within both new and existing markets.

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director at KBS Corporate, advised on the deal.

Support Instrumentation Limited

Support Instrumentation Limited has been acquired by MJ Wilson Group Limited, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate.

Support Instrumentation Limited (SIL) are a multi-disciplined process instrumentation company. Based in Kent, SIL provides a comprehensive single-source instrumentation solution from design, product selection and project management, to automation and process control. It operates across a number of sectors, including chemicals, food and beverage, power generation and aggregates.

The company has established itself within the industry and is associated with innovation, as well as reliability. Having been in operation since 1992, SIL has built a loyal client base.

The shareholders at SIL instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business in order to facilitate their retirement plans, as well as ensuring the growth of SIL under the impetus of a new owner.

Following a thorough research strategy, the opportunity attracted significant interest from trade buyers and investment firms.

The ultimate buyer was MJ Wilson Group Limited, who were motivated to acquire the opportunity to consolidate in the market, increase market share, capacity and client base, as well as strengthening its current position in the South East.

This investment was led by Amit Thaper, Investment Director at Cairngorm Capital, who explained, “The acquisition of SIL is highly strategic for M J Wilson, and provides access to key brands within the process and instrumentation industry.  We are delighted to partner with Steve Hopkins and continue to invest in technically focused MRO distribution businesses as we scale our national group.”

Rob Beveridge, MJ Wilson’s Managing Director said “We are delighted to partner with such a highly respected company. We have much in common in terms of our heritage and commitment to innovation and outstanding customer service. There is a clear fit between our two businesses, as our services are highly complementary so the merger creates exciting potential. Together, we will be well equipped to pursue new opportunities for growth, to the benefit of our customers, suppliers and employees.”

Steve Hopkins, SIL’s Managing Director added, “This is the perfect partnership for two businesses that share a commitment to innovation and the highest standards of customer service. There are great opportunities across the sector and this new chapter in our journey provides significant strategic benefits for both companies.”

MJ Wilson and Cairngorm Capital were advised on this transaction by Mazars (financial and tax) and Browne Jacobson (legal). SIL shareholders were advised by KBS Corporate (corporate finance) and Gately Plc (legal).

Fabio Rambelli, Associate Director at KBS Corporate, commented, ‘The acquisition is highly complementary for MJ Wilson and ensures Chris Hopkins can exit the business in full knowledge that SIL will be handled with the care and commitment he gave when he ran the company. I wish MJ Wilson and Steve the best of luck in their future endeavours and I’m confident that SIL will go from strength to strength under the guidance of MJ Wilson.’

Triform Holdings Limited

Triform is a print management, storage and distribution specialist based in the Midlands, known for producing a wide range of materials such as letterheads, compliment slips, business cards, as well as brochures and point-of-sale materials.

Working with an established and impressive list of clients, Triform has built an excellent reputation and is a trusted provider to a wide range of industries.

As the shareholders of the company began to consider their retirement options, KBS Corporate were instructed with the sale of Triform.

A thorough research strategy was implemented, with a wide range of potential acquirers targeted, particularly trade buyers. This research generated a substantial level of interest in the opportunity, with over 25 NDAs signed and multiple offers made.

The interest in Triform did primarily come from trade buyers but also included small-scale investment companies who saw the potential within the opportunity.

Ultimately, a deal was agreed with Hague Print Media Supplies Limited, one of the UK’s leading print solutions providers, who saw the opportunity to incorporate Triform into their growth strategy.

Fabio Rambelli, Associate Director at KBS Corporate, advised on the deal and commented, ‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank both parties for their co-operation throughout this deal. The acquisition of Triform by Hague will be very beneficial for Hague and will undoubtedly ensure Triform continues for many more years of successful trading and growth.’

Kalon Biological Limited

Kalon Biological acquired by CalibreScientific Inc, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate.

Kalon Biological specialise in the development and production of medical diagnostic kits and commercial enzyme immunoassays EIA kits for the healthcare industry.

Kalon Biological are highly experienced within the research and development of medical kits, and operate a number of brands including; KalonBio, a specialist within in-vitro diagnostics, Clin-Tech, a stains, reagents and medical kits provider, and Microimmune, a provider of measles, mumps and rubella testing products to hospitals and other partners internationally.

The shareholders of Kalon Biological instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business ahead of retirement plans.

Once marketed, the opportunity attracted a wide range of interest, from both trade and private equity acquirers, with over 65 NDAs received.

The ultimate buyer was CalibreScientific Inc., part of StoneCalibre, a diversified global provider of reagents, tools and other products to the healthcare, laboratory and biopharmaceutical industries. Based in Los Angeles, the company work to solve and address issues within their markets and have a global reach to over 53 countries.

Through a strong acquisition strategy, CalibreScientific has seen recent levels of growth, and has diversified and expanded the product offering, as well as their market share across the world.

Fabio Rambelli, of KBS Corporate advised our clients on the deal, and commented, ‘I have enjoyed working on this deal and I feel the acquisition has been ideal for CalibreScientific, as a logical bolt-on opportunity, which will enable them to further increase market share within the life-sciences sector. The deal will also enable the shareholders at Kalon to begin their well-earned retirement. I wish all involved the best for the future.’

DB Transport Corby Ltd and DB Warehousing Corby Ltd

DB Transport Corby Ltd and DB Warehousing Corby Ltd has been acquired, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate.

The West Midlands based transport and warehousing group came to market with KBS Corporate as the directors looked to begin retirement plans.

Following a thorough research strategy, the production of marketing materials and a period of negotiations, Stoneport Holdings Ltd have acquired the Group.

Stoneport recognised the opportunity as an ideal acquisition and first step into the sector due to the beneficial distribution location.

Daniel Welsby, Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised our clients throughout the deal and commented, ‘I am really pleased with the outcome of this deal, which marks the beginning of an acquisitive strategy for Stoneport, and an enjoyable retirement for the shareholders of DB Corby. I wish all involved the best for the future.’

Clover Chemicals Limited

Clover Chemicals Limited, a manufacturer of cleaning products, has been acquired by Christeyns UK Limited, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate Finance.

Clover Chemicals is a developer and manufacturer of high-quality cleaning chemicals, based in Derbyshire. The company has established itself as a reliable developer of effective products, placing a strong focus on research and development.

On instructing KBS with the sale of their business, a thorough research strategy was implemented, which generated a wide range of interest, with over 60 NDAs signed.

Following negotiations, a deal was agreed with Christeyns, a Bradford based company, best known for the manufacture of detergent, disinfectants and equipment. Clover Chemicals’ product range includes Floorcare, Washroom and Skincare products and will complement Christeyns existing offering, as well as enabling future growth and diversification.

Clover Chemicals will continue to operate from its facility in the High Peak area, and Managing Director, Des Eustace commented, “We are excited to be joining such an ambitious group. Christeyns’ core values of family, expertise, passion and continuous improvement are an ideal fit for the future of the Clover business and we look forward to the exciting journey ahead as part of this deeply committed organisation.”

Hassan Ahsan and Jay Singh, of KBS Corporate Finance, advised on the deal, with Hassan commenting, “The success of this acquisition can be attributable to the strong, professional relationships we held with both Clover Chemicals and Christyens UK. I know that Clover Chemicals will continue to flourish under the direction of Christeyns, and I wish them all the best for the future.”

CPOMS

CPOMS is a market leading software solution for monitoring Safeguarding and pastoral needs within the education sector, has been acquired by ECI Partners a growth-focused private equity firm in a multi-million-pound deal.

CPOMS has grown substantially since being established in 2011, the company’s software is now utilised in over 10,000 establishments across the globe. The company works closely with those within the education sector in order to deliver efficient software that yields high levels of customer satisfaction.

ECI Partners have been established since 1976 and specialise in supporting management buyouts and buy ins within medium sized UK growth companies. The company operates in a range of sectors. ECI Partners invest between £25 million and £100 million in deals valued up to £200 million.

Dave Gardner, Director at KBS Corporate Finance advised CPOMS throughout the process.

Impact Displays (UK) Limited

Impact Displays (UK) Limited has been acquired by Once Upon A Time Marketing Limited, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate.

Impact Displays is a supplier of retail point-of-sale displays, catering to a wide range of needs including publishers, supermarkets and convenience retailers.

Having been in operation for over 10 years, the shareholders of Impact Displays began to look towards retirement plans, and therefore instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of the business.

Following a thorough research strategy, a significant number of parties expressed an interest, including a mix of both trade and private equity investors.

Ultimately, a deal was agreed with Once Upon A Time, a London based full-service marketing agency, offering a wide-range of services including digital marketing, CRM, advertising and packaging solutions.

The deal presents an ideal acquisition as Impact Displays will benefit from the blue-chip client base associated with Once Upon A Time, as well as the potential for increased geographical coverage.

Matthew Sibley, Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised on the deal and commented, ‘I am really pleased with the outcome of this deal, and feel that Once Upon A Time are an ideal strategic fit for Impact Displays. I wish all involved every success for the future.’

Access Lifting Pulling & Safety Limited

Access Lifting Pulling & Safety Limited (“ALPS”) has been acquired by Denholm Industrial Group.

ALPS provide bespoke access, lifting, pulling and safety solutions to a wide range of project types and industries.

The company prides itself on being able to work on unique, innovative projects that require a high level of customisation and specialist work, as well as the more conventional projects. Services provided by the company include bridge access, buildings and structures, industrial rope access, and height lifting.

Denholm Industrial Group have acquired ALPS, following a thorough research process was conducted by KBS Corporate.  Denholm Industrial is part of the £240m turnover J & J Denholm Group, whose subsidiaries operate in shipping, logistics, seafoods, industrial services and oilfield services..

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director, advised on the deal and commented, ‘I am really pleased we managed to bring the deal to a successful conclusion. ALPS will fit nicely into Denholm Industrial’s existing division and the complementary service offerings provide clear synergies moving forward.  I am sure the acquisition will be a great success for both parties.’

Conquest Oil Ltd

Conquest Oil, is a well-established independent fuel supplier, operating across the south of the UK.

Headquartered in Bedfordshire, the Company serves a wide customer base, across both commercial and domestic sectors, with long-standing relationships with both customers and suppliers.

The shareholders of Conquest Oil instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their company due to their retirement plans.

Following a thorough research strategy, the opportunity attracted a wide range of interest from trade buyers, with multiple offers made.

Ultimately, following negotiations by KBS Corporate, an offer from Oil NRG, a fuel supply and distribution business, was accepted.

Oil NRG acquire Conquest Oil as part of their ongoing growth strategy, and the opportunity presents an ideal acquisition due to the location of Conquest Oil and the established customer base already in place.

Hassan Ahsan, of the KBS Corporate Finance team, advised on the deal and commented: ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this deal and believe the outcome will benefit both parties. Our clients were able to achieve a deal that exceeded their expectations, whilst Oil NRG are able to continue their growth strategy and obtain substantial work. I wish all involved the best for the future.’

Technocopy Solutions Ltd

Technocopy Solutions are a business print management and solutions company operating nationally. The company provides a wide range of document management and managed print services to businesses across a variety of sectors.

As winners of the Northamptonshire Business of the Year, Technocopy have amassed a strong reputation locally and a substantial client base.

Having instructed KBS Corporate with the sale of their business, Technocopy has been acquired by Business by Technology, a UK based trade buyer with offices in the Midlands, North West and East Anglia.

Chilli Telecom Limited

Chilli Telecom Limited has been acquired by Communicate Better Limited, in a deal advised by KBS Corporate.

Chilli Telecom offers a wide range of telecom solutions, operating as a ‘one stop shop’ for business telecom solutions.

Based in West Yorkshire, Chilli Telecom offers outstanding levels of customer service, to ensure a smooth transition from order to installation. This entire process is overseen by a dedicated and experienced team, who take great pride in offering excellent advice and support to customers.

The shareholders of Chilli Telecom were beginning to look at other business ventures and opportunities and approached KBS Corporate to assist in the sale of their business.

Following interest from a number of trade acquirers, a deal was agreed with Communicate Better, a Warrington based telecoms business.

Communicate Better has over 20 years’ experience within the telecoms sector and offers award-winning solutions to a wide range of businesses.

Having recently been very active within the M&A market, totalling 10 acquisitions, Communicate Better is set for huge growth and expansion, in terms of both product offering and geographical coverage. The substantial pipeline of work currently scheduled by Chilli Telecom was attractive to Communicate Better, who saw the opportunity to accelerate its growth strategy and reap economic rewards.

The sellers were advised by Guy Haynes from KBS Corporate, with legal advice provided by Gateley PLC.  Communicate Better was advised by Cowgill Holloway with legal advice provided by Pearsons.

JMP Wilcox & Company Ltd

JMP Wilcox & Company Ltd, the UK’s leading textile reclaimers and processors, has been acquired by Netherlands based Waterland Private Equity Investments.

JMP Wilcox has been established for over 100 years. The company collects in excess of 900 tonnes of unwanted clothing each week from over 3500 collection points via 80 vehicle collections. The company is based in the West Midlands on a four-acre site just off the M6. The company has an impressive recycle rate of over 99% and over 90% is exported to over 30 countries around the world.

Waterland Private Equity Investments is a truly global investment company with investments in over 550 countries. The firm invests in primarily ambitious entrepreneurs and companies that are in sectors experiencing growth.

Julian Coy, Corporate Finance MD at KBS Corporate Finance advised JMP Wilcox & Company Ltd throughout the process.

Ashmount Flooring Supplies Limited

Ashmount Flooring Supplies are a London based flooring distribution company, with over 40 years of experience in providing to both commercial and domestic properties.

The company offer a range of flooring products, and stock a wide range of well known brands within the industry.

Ashmount has amassed a strong reputation within the industry, resulting in an impressive client base and long-standing customer relationships.

As the shareholders at Ashmount look towards retirement, KBS Corporate were instructed with the sale of the company. A thorough research strategy was implemented which resulted in a wide-range of interest.

The ultimate buyers were Headlam Group plc, Europe’s largest distributor of floorcoverings.

The acquisition will allow Headlam to expand geographically into a London area, of which Ashmount has had a strong foothold. Ashmount will continue to be operated under its own trade brand, from the existing premises in London, but will also benefit from the resource and support of Headlam.

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director, advised on the deal and commented: “From what was quite a turbulent due diligence and legal process, I am really pleased that we have reached a successful conclusion for our clients  The acquisition will be strategically beneficial to the buyers and should enable our clients to enjoy their well-deserved impending retirement. I would like to wish both parties the very best for the future.”

Subec Wiping Solutions Limited

Subec Wiping Solutions Limited (“Subec”), has been acquired by Banner Group Limited (“Banner”), one of the EVO Group of companies.

Banner is a supplier of business critical products to the private, public and the third sector (charities, NGOs). Their customer base contains companies and organisations that range from government bodies and agencies, the largest FTSE 100 listed companies right through to smaller charities and SME’s.

The Banner heritage is drawn from the supply of stationery and print-related needs, however, they go far beyond “traditional” office products and provide solutions and services for the wider workplace, covering cleaning and janitorial supplies through to furniture, printed goods, technology and office services.

Subec provides the ideal acquisition to enhance the evolution of the Banner cleaning and hygiene category. Positioned as one of the UK’s premier suppliers of specialised cleaning and hygiene products, Subec supplies a substantial customer base across both commercial and industrial markets.

On instructing KBS with the sale of their company, Subec immediately generated high levels of interest as the unique and thorough research strategy of KBS Corporate was implemented.

There was much interest in the opportunity from both trade buyers and private individuals. However, the ultimate offer came from Banner.

The shareholders at Subec will remain at the company, to help oversee any changes and support future growth.

Julie Doyle, Deal Executive at KBS Corporate, advised on the deal and commented; “I have enjoyed working with both parties and wish them well going forward. I think the acquisition will be a success and I’d like to thank both parties for their co-operation throughout the process.”

Fuel Proof Limited

In a sale advised by KBS Corporate, Argent Industrial have acquired Fuel Proof Limited for an initial consideration of £4.6m, with this potentially rising to £6m subject to future performance

Fuel Proof is a leading manufacturer of bunded fuel storage equipment. The company offers a range of fuel storage solutions and services, including fuelcubes, diesel tanks, water storage, and waste oil storage tanks, with each individual component manufactured in-house to the highest possible standard.

The company manufactures products for both UK and international clients serving sectors such as aerospace, engineering, oil & gas, aviation and utilities.

The shareholders of Fuel Proof instructed KBS Corporate to find a buyer for the business, as they are looking to explore unrelated interests after a transitional period.

A thorough research strategy was implemented and several interested parties came forward.  Ultimately, a deal was agreed with Argent Industrial, a South African based buyer who are listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

Tom Eatough, Associate Corporate Director, advised on the sale and commented: ‘I have enjoyed working on this deal and providing advice to our clients throughout the process. Fuel Proof will make a great addition to Argent Industrial’s portfolio of manufacturing companies and I would like to wish both parties all the best for the future.