Tag Archives: divestment

November 6, 2023

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to an undisclosed trade buyer. After facilitating a compre-hensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – OneTemp – has been acquired by for an undisclosed amount. Based in Adelaide, OneTemp is a long-established B2B distributor of premium industrial and environmental instrumentation, which is used in a wide range of commercial & research settings.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to OneTemp’s owner and would like to extend our congratulations to both the Vendor and the Purchaser.

In early 2023, Johnsons Corporate was engaged to assist OneTemp’s founding director in the implementation of a succession strategy for his retirement. Already run under management, he sought a new owner for the Business that would be committed to the ongoing operation of the company and to the future prospects of its long-serving management, staff, and loyal customers.

Johnsons undertook a national divestment campaign on his behalf, marketing the opportunity to a custom database of prospective trade buyers. A combination of direct mail and phone calls to the directors of those companies elicited 30+ expressions of interest from a wide range of instrumentation distributors servicing one or more of the testing & measurement, scientific & laboratory, electrical, and/or automation & control markets. Within 8 weeks of going to market, Offer & Acceptance were secured with a highly motivated buyer, who represented a strong cultural fit with the organisation and its management team.

January 9, 2024

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a related trade buyer. After facilitating a compre-hensive, end-to-end sales and nego-tiations process, our client – FRC Environmental – has been acquired by SLR Consulting Australia for an undisclosed amount. FRC is a boutique consultancy offering a wide range of capabilities relevant to the assessment, management, and remediation of aquatic ecosystems. SLR Australia is the local subsidiary of the United Kingdom’s SLR Consulting Limited – a global leader in the provision of sustainability solutions.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to FRC Environmental’s directors and would like to extend our congratulations to both the vendor and the purchaser.            

In 2023, FRC’s long-standing owners sought to create a succession strategy that would support future growth. They engaged Johnsons to undertake an international campaign on their behalf, seeking a strategic acquirer for the Business. Marketing & sales activities generated strong interest, and within 8 weeks, Offer & Acceptance was secured with the preferred buyer and eventual purchaser.

Commenting on the acquisition, managing principal Dr. John Thorogood stated: “FRC’s ecologists and environmental scientists are recognised experts in their field and have been our clients’ aquatic consultant of choice for over 40 years. To now be part of SLR, a global leader in full-spectrum sustainability solutions, is pretty exciting. We are looking forward to the opportunities that our enhanced service offering will bring to both our staff and clients.”

March 31, 2022

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a synergistic trade buyer. After facilitating a comprehensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – Power Protect Pty Ltd – has been acquired by BGIS Asia Pacific for an undisclosed amount. Canberra head-quartered Power Protect is one of Australia’s leading independent providers of critical power services for commercial markets, while BGIS Asia Pacific is a subsidiary of Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions Canada LP – a global leader in facility management services.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to Power Protect’s managing director and would like to extend our congratulations to both the vendor and the purchaser.             

In 2021, Johnsons was engaged by Power Protect to undertake a national sales campaign. After 12 years building the Business, its managing director was seeking a new owner / merger partner with the resources and capabilities to help leverage the Business into a national footprint. Within 4 weeks of going to market, Johnson’s proactive approach had secured written offer and acceptance from the Canadian multinational.

November 6, 2023

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a multinational enterprise. After facilitating a compre-hensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – iZone – has been acquired by the Australian arm of Japan’s Rinnai Corporation for an undisclosed amount. iZone operates as a developer, contract manufacturer, and distributor of proprietary smart home air-conditioning & automation systems. Rinnai is a leading global equipment brand that manufactures and supplies a wide range of commercial and domestic heating, cooling, and hot water systems.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to iZone’s directors and would like to extend our congratulations to both the vendor and the purchaser.          

In late 2022, iZone’s directors engaged Johnsons to undertake an international divestment campaign on their behalf. Having developed and commercialised a proprietary range of smart home technology solutions, the Vendors sought a strategic or financial acquirer with the resources and capabilities to lead the Business through its next phases of growth and expansion.

Johnsons’ marketing campaign, based on custom research, spanned the Australian and selected overseas markets – targeting vendors of similar technologies as well as organisations in adjacent sectors and financial buyers investing in the mid-market space. Within 12 weeks of going to market, Offer & Acceptance was secured with iZone’s preferred buyer. After the successful completion of the strongly synergistic acquisition, Rinnai’s Australian general manager, Dan Tosh, commented: “Rinnai can now work towards delivering a seamless HVAC solution and after-sales support of equipment and controls.”

November 1, 2023

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a related trade buyer. After facilitating a comprehensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – Optical Fibre Systems (“OFS”) – has been acquired by Madison Group Enterprises for an undisclosed amount. Based in Queensland, OFS is a leading provider of optical fibre solu-tions and services for the electricity and telecommunications sectors. Madison Group Enterprises is comprised of Australian businesses that specialise in the design, development and distribution of leading connectivity products and technologies.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors Optical Fibre’s directors and would like to extend our congratulations to both the Vendor and the Purchaser.

In early 2023, the owners of Optical Fibre engaged Johnsons Corporate to undertake a national divestment campaign on their behalf. After 30+ years of successfully operating the Business they had built from scratch, the directors wanted to setup a formal succession plan by bringing in a new owner.

The sales strategy designed for OFS involved the creation of a custom research database of prospective trade buyers, operating in the same or an adjacent industry sector. After reaching out to the directors of those companies, Johnsons Corporate secured Offer & Acceptance within 8 weeks of going to market and closed the transaction 12 weeks later. On behalf of OFS’s owners, director Don Rush commented: “I’m not sure how I can put into words my thanks for what you have done for us… Based on my experience I would always advocate that people use a broker.  I can see now that without professional help you have a very difficult path to tread.”

July 1, 2023

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a related trade buyer. After facilitating a comprehensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – Pumpseal Sales Pty ltd – has been acquired by Pump Engineers Pty Ltd for an undisclosed amount. NSW-based Pumpseal is a long-standing, family run wholesale distribution business specialising in the sales and service of industrial pumps, related equipment, and wear parts. From its headquarters in VIC, Pump Engineering too has long operated in the supply and installation of specialised industrial pumping equipment.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to the directors of Pumpseal Sales and would like to extend our congratulations to both the vendor and the purchaser.

In 2023, Pumpseal’s second-generation directors decided it was time to step back and set in place an exit strategy for their retirement. They engaged Johnsons to undertake a divestment campaign which would present the Business as an ideal bolt-on opportunity for a related trade buyer. Johnsons custom research and direct marketing efforts resulted in three non-binding offers, with the vendors opting to proceed with the one that represented the best commercial and cultural fit. “We felt commercially Pump Engineers were the best fit to take the Business forward and provide continuity for our staff and customers,” remarked Pumpseal’s director Gary West. For Pump Engineers, the acquisition serves as the basis for its expansion into the NSW market while also extending its portfolio of equipment brands.

January 2022

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to an international trade buyer. After facilitating a comprehensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – ITS Integrated Technical Software – has been acquired by StruSoft for an undisclosed amount. Based in Geelong, ITS is the company behind SPACEGASS, a leading Australian structural engineering application. Sweden headquartered StruSoft AB, in turn, markets highly specialised software for structural analysis & design to customers around the world.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to ITS’s director and would like to extend our congratulations to both the vendor and the purchaser.                  

In 2021, after 30+ years growing the proprietary SPACEGASS application into Australia’s leading structural engineering solution, ITS’s director engaged Johnsons Corporate to conduct an international sales campaign. The objective was to find a strategic acquirer with the capital and resources to open new international markets for the software package.

Using custom research, Johnsons’ direct marketing efforts resulted in 35+ expressions of interest from domestic and overseas parties alike and from both trade and financial investors. After negotiating and securing Offer & Acceptance in a timely manner, Johnsons then worked diligently with our client’s preferred acquirer to bring the cross-border deal to completion prior to the end of the calendar year.

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February 2021

A JOHNSONS CORPORATE DIVESTMENT

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a strategic trade buyer. After facilitating a comprehensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – Yellow Octopus – has been acquired by Marlin Brands for an undisclosed amount. Based in Melbourne, Yellow Octopus is one of Australia’s leading brands in the online giftware space, offering a variety of products to suit any occasion. Also VIC-based, Marlin Brands owns and manages a portfolio of consumer product businesses with a focus on the living, gifting and convenience segments.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to Yellow Octopus’ director and would like to extend our congratulations to both the vendor and the purchaser.                  

In 2019 after growing the Business over a short period of time into an award-winning brand, Yellow Octopus’ director engaged Johnsons Corporate to conduct a national sales campaign. The objective was to find a strategic acquirer with the capital and resources to help take the Business to the next level. Having secured Offer & Acceptance in a timely manner, Johnsons then worked diligently over many months to bring the deal to completion in the face of significant Covid-19 induced challenges.

Commenting on the sales process, Yellow Octopus owner Derek Sheen explained: “Navigating the sale of Yellow Octopus to an overseas-backed private equity firm several-hundred times larger than my business was challenging, but ultimately very fruitful. However, I simply would not have been able to successfully traverse the sale process without the expertise and guidance from Johnsons Corporate.”

> READ THE CASE STUDY