PRESS RELEASE: Leading Australian Online Spare Parts Reseller sold to an Undisclosed Overseas Buyer – Johnsons Corporate Divestment

November 2018

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a related industry buyer. After facilitating a comprehensive end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – Torque Industries – has been acquired by ASX-listed Coventry Group Ltd. Operating in South Australia, Torque is a diversified engineering company with sales in excess of $14M, healthy EBIT margins and 35+ staff servicing a broad range of industry sectors. Coventry Group provides industrial solutions to the mining, construction and manufacturing industries with a turnover of approximately $150M.

The team at Johnsons were pleased to act as lead advisors to Torque Industries’ directors and would like to extend our congratulations to both the Vendors and the Purchaser.

Torque’s shareholders had sought an exit to focus on other business interests and required a new owner to take the Business through its next growth cycle. The Business had previously undertaken a selective sale process via a corporate advisor. Although mild interest was generated, no deal eventuated. This time around they sought a different approach and appointed Johnsons Corporate.

Within 10 weeks of going-to-market Johnsons had undertaken site inspections with 4 interested buyers, secured indicative offers from 2, and completed Offer & Acceptance with Coventry Group Ltd. The due diligence and legals processes were both completed within 9 weeks.

For over 50 years Johnsons Corporate has specialised in the provision of business sales and acquisition services for mid-sized, private Australian companies. Our clients get results because Johnsons’ approach is specifically designed for the mid-market business sector. Custom research and direct marketing capabilities, combined with expertise in sales and negotiations, create a service unavailable elsewhere in the field of traditional business broking and corporate advisory.

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December 2018

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to an international trade buyer in the industrial services sector. After facilitating a compre-hensive end-to-end sales and negotia-tions process, our client – Crown Project Services (‘CPS’) – has been acquired by Currie & Brown out of Hong Kong & London for an undisclosed amount. Sydney-based CPS specialises in the provision of Independent project management services to Australia’s property & infrastructure sectors. Currie & Brown is an international physical assets management and construction consultancy, providing services to both the public and private sectors.

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

Having established and grown the Business over 14 years, CPS’s managing director engaged Johnsons to assist with identifying a strategic acquirer to take the Business through its next growth phase. Following  a comprehensive research and marketing campaign – targeting both trade and financial buyers – Johnsons generated more than 18 expressions of interest from the market.

Regarding the transaction, David Hughes, who co-founded CPS and acted as the company’s managing director and chairman, remarked: “We are pleased to be part of Currie & Brown, as our operations are complementary and our cultures are aligned.  For staff and clients, it is ‘business as usual’, but we now have the advantage of being able to draw on the expertise of an international consultancy to provide clients with a broader range of services and experience in more sectors.” For over 50 years Johnsons Corporate has specialised in the provision of business sales and acquisition services for mid-sized, private Australian companies. Our clients achieve great results because Johnsons’ approach is specifically designed for the mid-market business sector. Custom research and direct marketing capabilities, combined with expertise in sales and negotiations, create a service unavailable elsewhere in the field of traditional business broking and corporate advisory.

> READ THE CASE STUDY

March 2018

Johnsons is pleased to announce the successful sale of a private, mid-sized Australian business to a synergistic trade buyer in the industrial services sector. After facilitating a comprehensive, end-to-end sales and negotiations process, our client – Metco Industrial – has been acquired by ThoroughClean for an undisclosed amount. Based in Adelaide, South Australia – Metco has long specialised in the design, assembly and manufacture of purpose-built ultra high pressure water cleaners (15,000 to 40,000 psi). ThoroughClean is a QLD manufacturer of mid-range high pressure water cleaners (2000 to 15,000 psi), supplying several market sectors including both light and heavy industrial.

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

After 9 years progressing the R&D of Australian-specific high-pressure solutions and more than doubling sales over the last 5 years, Metco’s owner engaged Johnsons to lead a divestment campaign to identify a strategic acquirer to take Mecto to the next level. Following  comprehensive buyer research and a national marketing campaign – targeting both trade and financial buyers – Johnsons generated more than 39 Expressions of Interest and secured Offer & Acceptance within 12 weeks of going to market.

According to ThoroughClean’s CEO, the acquisition of Metco is an important step in achieving the company’s goal to become the leading supplier in Australia and New Zealand of a diversified range of high pressure water solutions.

For over 50 years Johnsons Corporate has specialised in the provision of business sales and acquisition services for mid-sized, private Australian companies. Our clients achieve great results because Johnsons’ approach is specifically designed for the mid-market business sector. Custom research and direct marketing capabilities, combined with expertise in sales and negotiations, create a service unavailable elsewhere in the field of traditional business broking and corporate advisory.

> READ THE CASE STUDY

March 2018

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 – Critical Care Education Services – has been acquired by Medcast for an undisclosed amount. Critical Care is a niche training organisation that provides highly specialised, post-graduate training programs to healthcare practitioners across Australia. Based in Sydney, Medcast is an Australian health professional education company that provides a full range of e-learning solutions and blended courses to clients spanning corporate, government, NGOs and training organisations.

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

In 2017, Critical Care’s director engaged Johnsons to undertake a national divestment campaign on his behalf. Having established the Business more than 25 years previously and grown it into one of Australia’s leading providers of post-graduate training & development services for medical and nursing practitioners, the owner sought to exit in order to move into retirement.

Commenting on the successful transaction, Critical Care’s founder noted: “Right from the outset, Johnsons provided us with the right advice and action plan to navigate the sale process. They were instrumental in locating several potential suitors, as well as being the architect behind the structuring of the transaction to achieve a balanced commercial outcome for both myself and the purchaser.”

For over 50 years Johnsons Corporate has specialised in the provision of business sales and acquisition services for mid-sized, private Australian companies. Our clients get results because Johnsons’ approach is specifically designed for the mid-market business sector. Custom research and direct marketing capabilities, combined with expertise in sales and negotiations, create a service unavailable elsewhere in the field of traditional business broking and corporate advisory.

> READ THE CASE STUDY