WEST’S TOP DEALMAKERS COMPLETE TWO MORE MAJOR TRANSACTIONS
July 2007

Momentum Corporate Finance, the West’s leading adviser on management buy outs (MBOs) and disposals, has completed another two mid-market transactions – making a hat-trick of deals since March.

Although the terms of the three deals have not been disclosed, their combined value is understood to be in excess of £100 million.

The first MBO at Williams Medical Supplies, the UK's largest distributor of medical products to primary care providers, which has been bought by managing director Vince Kerr and commercial director, Nick Knight, providing an exit for the Company's founder, Robin Williams.

The Company, based in Rhymney, distributes medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and medical consumables to general practice and clinics throughout the UK with sales over £47 million.

Bristol-based Momentum has also advised on the sale of Rochford Thompson Equipment Ltd., the worlds leading specialist in providing security technology for airlines and immigration authorities.

Momentum conducted a tightly controlled global auction for the sale of the Company, which has developed high-tech systems for data capture and document reading, used for screening passports, visas, ID cards and airline tickets.

The winning bid came from the USA's 3M corporation, which will incorporate the British company into their 3M Security Systems Division.

Based in Newbury, Rochford Thompson has sales in the region of £6 million. In addition to airlines and immigration agencies, Rochford Thompson's customers include cruise lines, ferry companies, transport police and banks. The Company is also a recipient of the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

Contracts have been exchanged and the acquisition is expected to complete by the end of this month. 3M employs 75,000 people worldwide, including 3,800 across 16 locations in the UK and Ireland.

Rob Crews, partner at Momentum, said: "Rochford Thompson is a fantastic example of a British business successfully leading a global market through innovation and the quality of its products. This is proven by its customer list which features Governments and blue chip organisations.

"We were proud to help the Company's shareholders - its management team and the venture capital investors 3i - to realise the full value of this international business."

According to Mike Delkoski, Division Vice President at 3M Security Systems Division: "The addition of Rochford Thompson enhances our products for secure document capture and authentication, and will allow us to expand into transportation markets, such as international airlines."

In March Momentum Corporate Finance completed the sale of SFS Fire Services to US Company UTC Fire & Security - just 18 months after advising SFS' management and Barclays Ventures to buy the Company for £18.5 million.

SFS is the UK's biggest independent fire sprinklers specialist under the Hall & Kay and Central Fire Protection brands and has a major presence in Bristol.

Momentum has completed a number of other buyouts since its launch just over two years ago, including the successful MBOs at Integral, the UK's leading independent building maintenance specialists and Origin Publishing, which was purchased from the BBC.