Stairlifts contractor set for “careful rebranding” following £900k management buy-in
Disability aids supplier Complete Electrical Solutions (UK) has received £900,000 in funding as part of a management buy-in from debt funding provider Frontier Development Capital Ltd (FDC).
Stourbridge-based CES was founded in 2000 as a generalist business-to-business electrical contracting business, which specialises in the installation, service and maintenance of lifts, stair lifts, stair climbers and other mains powered disability devices.
In the previous two decades, the firm has established a strong reputation for regional electrical contracting via a small, but experienced team of 12 staff.
The debt investment provided by FDC funds a management buy-in led by incoming Directors Chris Smith and Dan Bytheway, to acquire a 94 per cent shareholding from CES’s founder Tony Smith, who is retiring. Tony will remain in the business on a consultancy basis.
Chris Smith, Managing Director, Complete Electrical Solutions UK Ltd, said: “Following our acquisition of CES we are looking forward to building upon a strong foundation.
“We now plan to expand CES in not only the B2B sector in which it already operates in, but also with careful rebranding to make a significant indent into the private stair lift market.”
The investment is the latest in a string of funding announcements from FDC, which recently launched the FDC Debt Fund, providing loans of up to £7.5 million to support both trading businesses and property developers throughout the UK.
Carl Perry, Investment Director, FDC, commented: “It’s great to announce our latest investment supporting a regional business with a legacy of technical excellence and specialist expertise.
“We have no doubt that the MBI team will continue to expand the business. This deal exemplifies how critical it is for alternative funding to play a part in supporting the growth of SMEs, even during challenging times.”