Investment type
- Development capital
Headquartered in Bristol, with offices in Cardiff and LA, Plimsoll Productions is an independent television production company. Its BAFTA, EMMY and Academy Award-winning team specialises in wildlife, documentary and factual entertainment shows.
Supporting new growth opportunities
In 2019, we backed Founder Grant Mansfield and his management team with a minority investment. The transaction valued the company at around £80m.
Over the next three years, Plimsoll invested in its natural history and documentary programming, launched a factual drama division and pursued further growth, both organically and through acquisition. With LDC’s support, Plimsoll grew sales from £35m (FY19) to £50m, and recorded an EBITDA of £10m (FY21).
It acquired specialist distribution and rights management company, Magnify Media, which now distributes to 75 countries worldwide through its network, and appointed US entertainment industry veteran Mark Itkin, who joined Plimsoll’s board to advise on strategy.
I had a lot of preconceptions about private equity before this process started. I imagined ruthless moneymen coming out of the City, without much empathy or understanding of how to run a creative business. Instead, from day one, LDC have added value and have been very respectful of our culture and the way I run my business.”
Plimsoll attracted its highest audiences to date during our three-year partnership – with standout productions including Apple TV+ documentary series Tiny World and Channel 4’s Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker – and used innovative strategies to extend the global reach of its content.
In 2021, the company also embarked on its first co-production series with ITV – the upcoming Stephen Fry-narrated documentary A Year on Planet Earth – which involved forming commercial partnerships with international broadcasters, including Tencent in China and Fox Nation in the USA.
It now produces more than 70 series for broadcasters including Netflix, Disney, Apple and Natural Geographic and is the biggest independent producer of natural history programmes in the world.
A partnership with ITV
In June 2022, LDC exited its investment in Plimsoll Productions to ITV plc in a transaction that values the independent television production company at £131m.
Plimsoll remains an independent brand and the existing management team will continue to run the business and play a key role in programme development to maintain Plimsoll’s creative pipeline.
We have really valued our partnership with LDC. The team has supported and empowered us to achieve our ambitions on our own terms, with creativity, inclusivity and the pursuit of excellence at the core of everything we do.”
Awards
Deal of the Year
South West Insider Dealmakers 2020
Company of the Year
South West Insider Dealmakers 2020
Profit Track 100 (Ranked 3rd)
The Sunday Times, 2020