ORBIS led THE SALE OF LIFT & ENGINEERING SERVICES
BUSINESS OVERVIEW
Lift & Engineering Services Limited (LES) was one of the leading independent lift service providers in the UK and operates from its headquarters in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, with additional offices in Leicester and London. Established over 30 years ago, the company specialises in the design and installation of lift equipment, with a focus on refurbishment and modernisation projects, along with the provision of maintenance, repair and emergency response services.
LES has been acquired by ThyssenKrupp AG, the German industrial group which generated sales of €41 billion in its last financial year. The company was sold by brothers Dave and Wayne Haywood, who will continue to manage the business post-sale, working with ThyssenKrupp’s existing UK operations to leverage the profile of the company within the UK market.
As a family-owned company, we needed to think about succession planning, the key to which was identifying the right buyer. The advice we received from Orbis was second to none. Orbis quickly identified the key value drivers in our business and made sure that these were clearly understood by the purchaser. Their calm and measured approach ensured that the deal process was extremely smooth, achieving a great result for the shareholders.
Dave Haywood, Managing Director
OUR ROLE
Orbis identified ThyssenKrupp as a potential purchaser in the early stages of the sale process. ThyssenKrupp expressed interest at the prospect of acquiring LES, driven by the company’s reputation, client base, and complementary geographical presence. Their vision for the future of the business gave the shareholders reassurance that ThyssenKrupp would be a good home for LES.
Specifically, Orbis:
- Worked with the shareholders to identify and understand the key value drivers of the business and presented them in an information memorandum.
- Worked with their international partners at Clairfield to identify and approach potential buyers.
- Managed the preparation and flow of information throughout the due diligence process on behalf of the shareholders to ensure that commercially sensitive information was safeguarded.
- Negotiated on price and terms to ensure the best deal for the shareholders.
- Ensured effective liaison and communication between both parties and their advisors throughout the deal process to deliver a successful outcome.
