News
LDC sells its stake in Amberon following a successful growth period
4 Dec 2018
Leading mid-market private equity investor LDC has reached an agreement to sell its stake in Amberon.
The sale follows a successful 18-month partnership where LDC supported the business and the management team grow the Group’s turnover by 23 per cent to £37.5 million, opened six new depots, add 50 new vehicles to its fleet and create over 50 new jobs.
Headquartered in Paignton in Devon, Amberon is one of the UK’s leading providers of traffic management services, with a fleet of more than 400 vehicles. The business now employs over 550 people, offering a wide range of safety solutions to support planned and emergency repairs, from traffic lights, signage and convoy working to variable message signs and CCTV.
Amberon secured a £25 million funding package from LDC and HSBC in June 2017 to support its growth strategy.
The management team subsequently added six new depots to form its 24-strong depot network with sites in Leeds, Liverpool, Hereford, Peterborough, Bridgewater and Lincoln and have recently completed a bolt-on acquisition of a business providing installation and repair services to barriers on the UK highways. The management team believes that there is strong potential to roll out this service offering across Amberon’s existing depot network.
Today, H2 Equity Partners has acquired Amberon for an undisclosed sum as the business moves to the next stage of its growth strategy.
The original LDC investment, led by LDC’s Simon Hemley and Alistair Pendleton, backed Amberon’s existing management team, led by Managing Director Terry Musson and Commercial Director Daniel East, who will continue to run the business.
Partnering with LDC has helped us to drive growth in our business more quickly than we anticipated, all without losing the Amberon way of doing things."
We’ve enjoyed working with the team and have benefited from their financial support, expertise and strategic guidance, as well as their trust in us to deliver.”
“We now look forward to the next phase of our growth journey working with the team at H2 Equity Partners, as we continue to expand the business.”
Simon Hemley, Investment Director at LDC in the South West & Wales, said: “Throughout our partnership the team at Amberon have built on their strengths in the South West to establish the company across the UK as a leading providers of road safety and traffic management services. With a stellar reputation for customer service and high safety standards amongst highway operators, the business now has a springboard to grow even further. We wish Terry, Daniel and the team every success as they continue to grow the business.”
Andy Lyndon, Head of LDC in the South West and Wales, added: “Amberon is one of the region’s unsung success stories, as well as a great example of how private equity can help a business accelerate and deliver on its ambitions, creating jobs and prosperity. LDC has £1.2bn available to support small and mid-sized companies across the UK over the next three years, so we’re on the lookout for more companies like Amberon, with the potential to scale.”
LDC and Amberon were advised by Deloitte, Burges Salmon, EY, and Blake Morgan. H2 was advised by Squire Patton Boggs.