Corporate lawyers at Browne Jacobson have advised management on
the buyout of Nottingham based Icon Polymer.
The buyout, which has the backing of equity firm Lloyds TSB
Development Capital (LDC) and its banking partner Lloyds TSB
Corporate Markets, was led by managing director Tim Pryce and
financial director Shaun Finn. They acquired the firm for an
undisclosed amount from retiring founder Richard Gogerty.
Icon Polymer develops, manufactures and supplies specialist
technical rubber products to the aerospace, defence, transport and
energy industries. Started in 1999, the £20 million plus
turnover business employs more than 230 people and operates in the
UK from its plants in Retford, Nottinghamshire and Burton on
Trent.
Over the last year, it has secured contracts with Stork Fokker,
BAE Aerospace and Land Systems and JCB to supply critical polymer
components for aerospace defence and off-road vehicle applications.
The business also has a growing international clientele with 15% of
its business now generated in the Far East.
Richard Medd, Corporate lawyer at Browne Jacobson,
said: "We have a long standing relationship with Icon Polymer
having advised the business on all its corporate finance activities
in recent years, including the acquisition of the Silvertown Group
in 2004. This deal marks a fresh and exciting chapter in its
history and nobody is better placed than Tim and Shaun to take the
business to the next level. They have helped to build a
market-leading business which is well-placed for future growth. It
is also encouraging to see private equity investors such as LDC
willing to continue to support strong UK manufacturers."