New Era Aquaculture Limited specialises in innovative dietary fish feeds and supplements. It also designs, installs and maintains distinctive aquariums for the corporate and leisure markets. Following funding from EV Growth, the company is now ready to travel to new shores in search of developing export markets.
The New Era team has over 20 years’ experience in the development of marine ornamental aquaculture, hatchery breeding programmes and dietary feeds & supplements. It has built an exceptional reputation and employs a highly skilled team, comprising fish nutritionists, marine biologists, immunologists, zoologists and microbiologists.
The team has incredible expertise in its sector – in 1989, it began piloting the very first ornamental marine fish hatchery in Europe to use recirculation and artificial environment technology; in 1994, it played a key role in developing Europe’s first commercial clownfish hatchery; and following this, implemented developments for successful breeding programmes for fire shrimps and many other species. With conservation and sustainability of great importance, the company took part in Project Sea Horse, to assess the potential of seahorse farming in Vietnam and the Philippines.The company is committed to a significant programme of research and development, which results in uniquely formulated products of the very highest quality.Growing fast, the company was looking for support to drive export sales via its distribution networks and for capital expenditure to expand its manufacturing facility, including the installation of a live fish holding facility. Investment was provided by EV Growth as part of a package of funding from numerous sources.
Trekmates designs, sources and supplies a broad range of outdoor clothing and accessories to over 500 retailers both in the UK and overseas. The business serves the independent outdoor sector and large national chains and has a growing international presence. Established in 1997, Trekmates trades under its own brand with an emphasis on value-for-money products with high quality and technical excellence.
Following an approach by the company’s accountants, Trekmates’ management team, led by serial entrepreneur and former CEO of the Games Workshop, Chris Prentice, met with the EV Growth investment team to discuss its plans for future growth and funding requirements. Whilst the company had achieved significant growth and developed a strong brand in its target market, it was keen to position itself to continue this growth, particularly to build its presence in Europe, and develop its product range in response to emerging market demand.
Following discussions and negotiations with the company’s management team and its advisors, a funding package was put together totalling £8.7 million, alongside additional debt facilities provided by the company’s bank.
Two Wests & Elliott manufactures and supplies greenhouses and related gardening products, tools and equipment, propagation supplies, cold frames and cloches, by mail order.
The company was formed 30 years ago by Christopher and Josephine West, who sold the business in 2000. The company’s website now offers more than 2,000 products and the company publishes three customer catalogues each year.
Peter Bennett and Lucie Bradley had managed the business for a number of years when they took the opportunity to acquire the company in a management buy-out, having been advised to approach the investment team at EV Growth for funding.
Following the due diligence process, EV invested in December 2007, leading the funding package alongside the company’s bank and equity investment from the management team. The EV Growth team doubled the original investment in an exit in 2011, selling the stake back to management.
CoreRFID provides radio frequency identification (RFID) and barcode technologies for a range of industry sectors. Its systems deliver cost-effective solutions for many logistics and asset tracking applications. Customers include Nokia, BAA, the BBC, Thames Water, the Channel Tunnel and Norwich Union.
The investment provided by EV Growth formed part of a funding package alongside the company’s bank and its management team to assist the management buyout of the business from the previous family owners.
As a result of the investment, the company relocated its operations and created additional regional employment, allowing it to offer new and existing customers a wider range of RFID products and services.
Transglobal provides automated payment transaction services to SMEs and high net worth individuals in domestic and foreign currency.
Following a referral from the company’s corporate finance adviser, and analysis of the business plan, the EV Growth investment team identified that the marketplace for both domestic and international payment transfers was to go through significant commercial changes. The team believed the company was well placed to take full advantage of the opportunities the changes would bring. Following negotiations, EV Growth provided investment as part of a larger funding package, alongside the bank and the company’s management team. A commitment for further funding was also made at this time, to be invested in tranches against a number of development milestones.
The investment was used to provide development and working capital to the business and to enable it to relocate its sales base from London to Warrington, in response to customer demand.
Doff Portland Limited is an independent, family-owned business which was founded in 1946 by the father of the current Chairman. It is the UK’s largest independent manufacturer of insecticides, slug pellets, weed-killers and garden products for use in both the domestic and agricultural markets, and is a supplier of own brand products to a number of major UK retailers.
Following a referral from its business advisers, the company’s management team approached the EV Growth investment team with details of its funding requirements and future growth plans. Following a series of meetings and a thorough due diligence process, the investment team was able to agree a suitable funding structure as part of a package which included investment from a regional funding provider and facilities from the company’s bank.
Based in Coalville, Peopletoo is a public sector service consultancy and transformation business. It helps local government and other public sector organisations drive efficiency to meet their challenging financial environment, whilst improving service quality and their customer experience.
The company’s management team approached the EV Growth investment team as they had another regional funding provider which needed a syndicate partner to progress the deal. The funding proposal was supported by a verified track record in delivering successful projects in local government in a number of key areas. The company’s founder also demonstrated a long and successful track record in the private sector and delivery of long term transformational projects across a range of public sector services.
Over the next two months, EV worked closely with the company, its advisors and the syndicate partner to put together a tailored funding package to enable the business to recruit new operational staff and scale its operations further.
Intelligent Recording Ltd, based in Worksop, designs and develops digital call recording equipment and distributes its products globally to both domestic and commercial customers via a network of re-sellers, distributors and phone system manufacturers, with over 75% of sales exported.
The company had identified an upward global trend in the use of call recording equipment and an anticipated increase in demand for new product development in the sector. It saw an opportunity to respond by developing its range of market leading products to exploit this anticipated growth in the market. Following a direct approach from the company, the EV Growth investment team worked with the company to put together a funding package to support its business plan, with contributions from the company's management team and bank funding.
The company, which is based in Tamworth, designs and manufactures a range of sensing and telemetry equipment for use in various commercial applications, including factory automation and process monitoring and control, as well as for remote monitoring of equipment and resources. Its product range, sold to a global customer base, aims to reduce distribution costs, improve stock management and scheduling and have a positive effect on customer service provided by the user company.
The company had developed a new product range targeted specifically at the market for the remote monitoring of gas and chemical tanks, a market in which it was experiencing significant growth with the potential for new contracts and distribution agreements. It was looking to explore the viability of developing its product range in this area which it believed would provide significant potential for growth and development of its customer base.
Following a direct approach from the company, the EV Growth investment team were impressed with the calibre of the company’s management team and the market opportunities it had created. A specifically tailored funding package was constructed by the EV Growth team, alongside support from the company’s bank. This allowed the company to concentrate its efforts on progressing a number of key product development projects.