Wed, 07 Jul 2021 | BUSINESS SALE
Private equity firm Graphite Capital has made a £428 million exit from automotive repair and refinishing products company U-POL. The sale, to US firm Axalta Coating Systems, represents a 4.5x return on Graphite’s original investment in the business.
The deal is subject to clearance from competition authorities and is expected to close in the second half of 2021.
Headquartered in Wellingborough, U-POL manufactures over 1,000 products and distributes across more than 100 countries. Over the course of recent years, it has established itself in the online and US marketplaces, whilst also expanding into emerging markets like Africa and China.
In 2010, Graphite led a £139 million buy-out of U-POL and, under its ownership, the company has seen its sales double to more than £100 million, while its workforce has increased from 210 to 340, a more than 60 per cent rise.
Commenting on the sale, Graphite Capital Senior Partner James Markham said: “It has been highly rewarding working with the U-POL team in executing their ambitious growth strategy.”
“We are very pleased to have played an active role supporting them as they built U-POL into a truly global business with a culture of innovation set to generate continuing growth. This transaction crystallises an attractive return for our investors.”
U-POL CEO Guy Williams added: “Graphite has been a very active and helpful partner to us as we have transformed every part of the business over recent years. We have invested heavily in our people, our brands and innovation, all of which has enabled us to reposition U-POL with its customers.”
“We are delighted that Axalta has acquired U-POL and believe we are extremely well placed to continue our exciting growth trajectory under their ownership.”
Find businesses for sale here.
If you are looking for an exit, we can help!
The company offers a variety of day surgery tables, all of which are manufactured with reliability, performance and manoeuvrability in mind. The family-run business supports all clients post-sale with planned preventative maintenance solutions, offer...
RELOCATABLE
The company manufactures a variety of products in-house, including injection mould tools, press tools, compression tools, 3d printed tools, jigs, fixtures and assembly equipment. It also provides a high-quality maintenance and repairs service. The bu...
LEASEHOLD
The company formulates, manufactures and supplies creative products and brands for clients in the cosmetics market, combining state-of-the-art facilities and extensive research to provide truly bespoke solutions, with an emphasis on sustainability.
FREEHOLD
03
|
Feb
|
Social media marketing firm acquired at up to 41.6x operating profit | BUSINESS SALE
Manchester-based social media and influencer marketing agenc...
03
|
Feb
|
Pub group planning to sell 1,000 sites as pressures on hospitality mount | COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
Stonegate Group, the UK’s largest pub company, is repo...
02
|
Feb
|
Babble hits 12 acquisitions in a year with double takeover | BUSINESS SALE
London-based cloud technology firm Babble has continued its ...
Sign up to receive our acquisition alert emails to get your FREE guide
05
|
Feb
|
PE-backed Babble acquires Newcastle-based Activ Technology | BUSINESS SALE
Comms company Babble, which is backed by private equity firm...
20
|
Feb
|
Cheshire recruitment company may be put on the market | BUSINESS SALE
NES Group, the Cheshire-based recruitment company, might be ...
Business Sale Report is your complete solution to finding great acquisition opportunities.
Join today to receive:
All this and much more, including the latest M&A news and exclusive resources