Case Studies
Client: Laidler Group of Companies
Activity: Machinery safety consultancy
Acquired by: TÜV SÜD
The Laidler Group of Companies, based in Billingham, Cleveland, comprised a safety consultancy, specialising in the field of machinery safety. providing consultancy and advice to many of the world’s largest multinationals, an electrical safety equipment company and a US based machinery safety services including CE Audits and training.
DCA Corporate conducted an extensive sale process, where more than 30 interested parties, that included UK and international trade buyers, private equity and MBI teams, received the Information Memorandum. Presentations were made to three of the bidders.
The successful bidder, TÜV SÜD AG represented by its subsidiary, TÜV SÜD (UK) Ltd, is one of the world’s leading technical service providers of testing, product certification, auditing, systems certification, training and knowledge services. Its UK subsidiary, located in Glasgow, has one of the most comprehensively equipped UKAS accredited facilities in Europe.
“The acquisition of Laidler brings a wealth of experience in machinery safety to our UK organisation and a position in the UK that is second to none,” said Jean-Louis Evans, managing director of TÜV Product Service Ltd. “We feel that there are considerable synergies between our two organisations and that bringing the two organisations together will establish a much stronger Machinery Safety business for TÜV SÜD in the UK”.
Paul Laidler, managing director of Laidler Associates, said he was “delighted” with the purchase and believes the collaboration will help Laidler expand at a faster rate than was previously possible.
Client: CPA Recruitment Ltd
Activity: Food industry recruitment
Acquired by: The Best Connection Group
Founded over 30 years ago by Clive Palache, CPA Recruitment has developed into a market-leading business in its niche sector by providing recruitment and resourcing solutions throughout the food manufacturing industry.
After a highly competitive sale process, orchestrated through DCA Corporate, CPA was bought by The Best Connection Group (TBC), a £400 million turnover Birmingham based business, specialising in supplying flexible workforce solution to the industrial, driving, warehouse, distribution & logistics, construction, retail, food & healthcare sectors throughout the UK.
As part of the group’s strategic growth plans, TBC sought to gain market share in an additional sector.
“CPA represents an opportunity for the group to diversify into permanent recruitment with a quality, market leading brand. As such, CPA boasts a long-established reputation and has the scope to become a much larger enterprise. To achieve this, we intend to invest in the resources and personnel with the aim of growing the business significantly over the next five years,” said Neil Yorke, director, The Best Connection.
“We have now united with The Best Connection in the spirit of true partnership in order to take the business to the next stage of progression. This is proving to be a powerful alliance,” said Clive Palache.
Client: Life Environmental Services Ltd
Activity: Environmental services consultancy
Acquired by: Lexia Solutions Ltd
DCA Corporate devised and coordinated an extensive exercise that resulted in the merging of four businesses involved in asbestos management consultancy, asbestos sampling and risk assessments, consultancy and air monitoring services and the supply of software for managing asbestos in homes and offices.
Following the formation of the merged businesses, Life Environmental Services, DCA sold the enlarged company to Lexia Solutions, a leading company in asbestos removal, demolition and remediation services.
Gary McCormack, the parting Managing Director of Life Environmental Services, paid special tribute to David Cohen saying “ he guided us through a highly complex sale process that included the broking and subsequent merger with a trade competitor prior to our ultimate sale”.
Lexia’s owner, Jason Davy, said: “The acquisitions present a significant and exciting new chapter in our growth.
Client: Praetorian Disposable Products
Activity: Distributor of disposable products to the healthcare sector
Acquired by: Robinson Healthcare Ltd
Praetorian, founded by Cyril Ashberg in 1991, is an importer and distributor of high quality disposable products that include non-surgical gloves, aprons, footwear, bibs and a range of paper products. It had established longstanding relationships with several factories in the Far East.
DCA orchestrated and delivered the sale of Praetorian Disposable Products to Robinson Healthcare Limited through a structured, competitive sale process that involved sending Information Memoranda to more than 30 interested parties, comprising trade buyers and MBI teams and made presentations to four bidders.
The purchaser, Robinson Healthcare, is a manufacturer of professional, personal and animal healthcare products. They were, as Gavin Smith, the company’s FD, stated, delighted with the complementary fit between the two companies’ products and customer bases, the ability to utilise existing supplier relationships and the ease with which the business could be relocated.