Geplaatst: 4 March 2025
Stimulant for green growth
Family business De Groot en Slot, together with REKA Group, has acquired a stake in Biota Nutri. Biota develops, produces, and distributes organic fertilizers for agriculture and horticulture. With this, Biota provides a solution to sustainability challenges in vegetable and ornamental plant cultivation.
This direction aligns well with De Groot en Slot’s vision for a sustainable future in the sector. As a market leader in onion seeds and active in the green sector and seaweed development, De Groot en Slot stands for innovation, quality, and sustainability in various markets within the agricultural sector.
Martin Slot, director at De Groot en Slot: “Clifton Finance and its associate partner Thijs Friederich have assisted us in our search and guided us throughout the entire acquisition process, from identifying this acquisition to negotiating and structuring the transaction. We have experienced the collaboration as very pleasant. Clifton Finance has a keen eye for our long-term strategy as a family business.”
Geplaatst: 6 February 2025
Safety above all
Family-owned business Seceurtronics has joined Castellum. Clifton Finance was involved in selecting the right buyer on behalf of Seceurtronics’ shareholders. With an eye for the interests of the family business, a successful transaction was achieved in a short period of time.
Geplaatst: 2 February 2024
Perseverance rewards
BaseNet, a specialized software company for the legal and financial services industries, was acquired June 1, 2023, by Dias Group. This acquisition provides new opportunities for BaseNet to expand internationally.
BaseNet offers a comprehensive custom software solution for law firms, with features such as digital file management, client relationship management, document management, email integration, time tracking, accounting and management reporting.
Dias Group is a company specializing in software solutions for SMEs, large corporations and service providers in various niche markets, including legal and financial services. By adding BaseNet to their portfolio, Dias Group is taking an important step toward achieving this goal. As of June 2023, the Dias group will continue under the name Blinqx.
Ruud Pepping is BaseNet’s CEO and emphasizes that the company has worked hard in recent years to expand internationally. BaseNet currently operates in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and England. The partnership with Blinqx will help them further strengthen their growth opportunities.
The shares of BaseNet were 100% owned by the two brothers and founders of BaseGroup, who started developing (CRM) software for various industries after college. They were also the co-founders of Realworks BV, which was sold to NVM several years ago.
They look back on this intensive process with satisfaction: “Clifton Finance did an excellent job of guiding us through this process and stuck to our goals. That has resulted in a great result.”
Geplaatst:
Assured outcome
Atradius Collections has acquired Pro Kolekt from KF Finance. Pro Kolekt is active in 8 countries in South-East Europe in the collection of outstanding receivables in the B2B market segment. With the acquisition of Pro Kolekt, Atradius Collections strengthens its market position in this region. A local presence in the market is essential for Atradius customers to be able to approach the debtor in the local language with the right approach. The Atradius Collections network is the most integrated IT infrastructure in the collection industry. This means that synergy benefits and further growth can be realized quickly in the event of an acquisition.
Together with the Atradius Collections team, Clifton Finance has established an acquisition strategy based on which suitable companies in various countries have been approached. We worked closely with Sazun to approach parties in South-East Europe. Sazun is a valuable partner office of Clifton Finance with whom we have a good long-term working relationship. This local presence of our partner organization enabled us to find and approach suitable companies for Atradius.
At the same time, Clifton Finance maintained intensive contact with the decision-makers within the Atradius Collections organization in the Netherlands. In this way, a transaction could be realized with the right partner. Clifton Finance supported Atradius Collections in the entire acquisition process, including the acquisition strategy, approach of potential acquirers, as well as the negotiations and structuring of the transaction.
Geplaatst:
Ice in our veins
ICE Utility Professionals joins Value8’s interim professionals. A careful and intensive process preceded this, partly prompted by the corona crisis. The sales process was actually initiated as soon as there was a prospect of market recovery. Due to the rapid market recovery, it was important to map out the company thoroughly, so that the eventual buyer could assess the company according to its future value.
ICE was looking for an investor who could take the company to the next phase and also further invest in the company’s scale. Value8, with investments in similar services, was a good fit and could add value to the company.
Together with ICE’s DGA, Marcel van Staa, Clifton Finance got the job done and managed to convincingly present the company to potential buyers. Marcel: “You have to prepare well for something like this and timing is essential. In the end, thanks to Clifton Finance’s good connections with Value8, we found a party that matches ICE very well and can get the full potential out of it, while I will still be involved in the coming years.” “The role of Clifton Finance really helped in this” also says Peter Paul de Vries, foreman of Value8. The personal approach characterized this transaction and was appreciated by all parties.
Geplaatst:
Unique family business of unique entrepreneurs finds partner in investor
Rabobank Group, through its investment arm Rabo Investments (RI), has become a co-shareholder in Koppert Cress Group. By taking a minority stake in Koppert Cress, a course is set for further joint sustainable international growth.
Clifton Finance has brought the two parties together. Even before Covid-19, Koppert Cress was looking for a Dutch partner with an international position. In the transaction it was important to maintain the mission and vision of the original (family) owners. Rabo Investments and Koppert Cress found each other as partners with a similar vision on horticulture, healthy food and sustainability. The strength and resources of Rabo Investments will give Koppert Cress the room to continue its further growth.
Thijs Friederich, managing director of Rabo Investments: “Koppert Cress is a beautiful and resilient horticultural company. The company has held up well in the recent corona crisis, while the hospitality industry, their largest market, was largely closed. By being close to its end customers, the chefs, Koppert Cress has built a relationship that results in flexibility, originality with a focus on taste and surprise on the plate. Sustainability and innovation is something we as Rabo Investments are happy to support.”
Clifton Finance acted as advisor to the buyer.
Geplaatst:
Company brought into safe harbor after long voyage
Struik & Hamerslag is a family business with a long history. They operate in the top segment of interior construction of luxury yachts, a segment in which the Netherlands excels. Triggered by the approach of Chinese buyers, the search started for a suitable buyer for this complex enterprise. The company delivers highly appealing interiors in a project market with higher than normal risk. The DGA Marco Struik, who was no longer involved in the day-to-day business, gave great confidence in the management and Clifton Finance for finding a suitable buyer who was also willing to roll up his sleeves to make the necessary changes in this traditional company. This was preceded by changes to the company’s structure and the closure of its international operations in the UK. The final buyer was found in SecondWind Capital, which took up the challenge very professionally and realized the transaction together with other stakeholders. This puts the Struik & Hamerslag in safe harbor and allows building on the further growth of the company.
“Together with Clifton Finance, we went through the entire process from preparation to completion and in doing so, I experienced the integrity and thoroughness of Maarten and his team as very professional. In the always complex environment of a family business with multiple shareholders, good communication is important and I can’t help but conclude that we couldn’t have found a better partner. We are therefore very pleased that we were able to conclude the process positively.”
Marco Struik, Kitty Kuiper & Sjef Laenen, 2021
Geplaatst:
Patience is a virtue
After working in cleaning for almost 40 years, the DGA was eager to hand over the business. Together with his spouse Brigitta and several loyal employees, he built up a reliable company. There was great interest in the market for the company, which had a nice customer base. “We explicitly looked for a buyer who would fit well with the culture of the company and found it in the Balans Group,” says Eric van Gijn. “Clifton Finance helped us well in the selection of the final buyer and they provided good insight into what profits the new owner could realize with the company. I experienced the cooperation with Clifton Finance as very pleasant. We were advised clearly and clearly. My questions were answered with great patience and Clifton Finance helped ensure that the sale of our beautiful company BERKO Schoonmaakdiensten B.V. went smoothly. We can recommend Clifton Finance to anyone looking to sell their business. Reliable, clear, professional and very fast and good communication.”
“Although I was impatient and there was a lot more involved than I thought, the transaction was completed well and I am now a free man. Without their help I could not have done it!”
Eric and Brigitta van Gijn, 2021
Geplaatst:
Acquisition Ergomax by Nutramin
Started in 2007 from the garage, shareholders Paul Zonneveld and Samuel Zonneveld have developed the company into an online retailer of food supplements in the higher segment. In addition to the Netherlands, Ergomax is now also a growing player in key markets such as Germany, Scandinavia and the US. Both founders are ready for a new step for the company and have asked Clifton Finance to assist them in this process. The buyer is a group of companies with the labels Dr van der Hoog, Nutramin, Lavisage and Plantina. The two brothers will continue to play a different role in the expansion of both Ergomax and the other companies in the group.
We have been very well assisted in the sales process by Clifton Finance,’ say Paul and Samuel. ‘They have provided a very good fitting buyer and have taken us through the process into what was completely new for both of us. We had fast and good communication with Clifton Finance. What’s especially nice is that they were fully prepared for any ‘bumps’ in the process. The team is attuned to each other, they are solution-oriented. We were able to keep the business going well while at the same time staying well informed about the course of the sales process’.
Paul & Samuel Zonnveld, 2020
Geplaatst:
The shareholder of De Klok Logistics from Nijmegen takes over subsidiary Van Opzeeland from its neighbor Nabuurs
In addition to De Klok Logistics, the shareholder also owns Van Vliet Transport. As a result of this takeover the parties involved are bundling their nationwide network mainly in the segment of urban distribution of goods to, for example, retailers. The bundling of transported volumes creates a more efficient network. The deal offers Nabuurs the opportunity to bring more strategic focus to its other logistics activities. Clifton Finance has assisted the family business Nabuurs in finding the right buyer, and in the execution and realization of the transaction.