Corporate law firm Hawkins Hatton has helped the owner of Strykers Tenpin Bowling Centre in Wolverhampton strike a deal for the sale of the business.
The centre in Shaw Road, Bushbury has been acquired by the nationwide tenpin bowling operator Garland Leisure for an undisclosed sum.
Dudley based Hawkins Hatton acted for the former owner of Strykers Kulwant Samra, advising on the sale of the goodwill and assets. Garland Leisure is to operate from the premises which also features a bar, restaurant, function facilities, childrens play area and amusement arcade.
Garland Leisure, the UK’s third largest tenpin bowling operator, now runs 19 sites across the country and the acquisition of the 24-lane Strykers facility is the latest in the company’s fast growing empire.
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, said: “We were delighted to play a lead role in the sale of the business which brings a number of benefits for the parties involved. Our client has been able to realise the value of his investment in growing Strykers over recent years, whilst for Garland Leisure the acquisition is an excellent strategic fit with its plans to expand the tenpin bowling business.”
“Sometimes deals can go down a blind alley, but this one was a perfect strike!”
Pictured left to right, Kulwant Samra, Dawn Sebbage, Hawkins Hatton, Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton.
Hawkins Hatton, the West Midlands based corporate law firm, has advised on the multi-million pound sale of DH Budenberg, the world leading manufacturer of pressure calibration equipment.
DH Budenberg, which has manufacturing operations in the UK and France, as well as technical sales and engineering support satellite offices throughout the Middle East, Asia and Australia, has been acquired by the WIKA Group, whose headquarters are based in Klingenberg, Germany.
Hawkins Hatton, who have offices in Dudley, provided legal advice to DH Budenberg’s owner Paul Winters and eight other shareholders who are based around the world. Colin Rodrigues from Hawkins Hatton worked alongside James Bell from Double A, a leading firm of corporate finance advisers who were retained by the shareholders of DH Budenberg to identify, contact and negotiate with the purchasers, thereby playing an instrumental role in the sale process from inception to completion.
With an annual turnover of around £7 million, DH Budenberg employs 94 staff including 30 in the UK at its manufacturing base in Manchester. Under the terms of the deal Budenberg Gauge and a separate machine shop business will remain under the ownership of Mr Winters.
DH Budenberg has grown to become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pressure calibration equipment since it was formed by Paul Winters in 1996 with the merger of Desgranges ET Huot SA of France (DH).
The company supplies a range of electronic pressure controllers, calibrators and pneumatic dead weight testing equipment for oil, gas, process, aerospace and defence applications and in recent years has successfully expanded into Middle Eastern and Far East markets.
Commenting on the sale Mr Winters, who originally comes from Birmingham, said: “The business was in excellent shape, but given the current difficulties in raising funds through the financial markets I felt that we had taken it as far as we could. The sale will enable the company to expand further through increased investment and the wider resources of WIKA who are world leading manufacturers of pressure, temperature and sensor instrumentation.
“I was recommended to Hawkins Hatton and they did an excellent job in leading me through the transaction which had the added complexity of including our international operations.”
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, said: “This was a significant deal for the shareholders. In advising on the sale we often had to work round the clock in order to accommodate the different international time zones.”
Photo Caption (left to right)– Hands on a global deal...............Ruth Coleridge from Hawkins Hatton, pictured with John Stokes (left), formerly finance director of DH Budenberg and Colin Rodrigues (right), corporate partner, Hawkins Hatton.
Hawkins Hatton celebrated its 5th anniversary with a dinner for clients and professional associates at Weston Park in Staffordshire.
When it opened its Dudley offices in 2006, Hawkins Hatton became one of the first niche corporate law firms outside of Birmingham to be launched in the West Midlands. Since then the firm has continued to grow fee income and has developed a growing reputation in the merger and acquisition market, despite having to contend with the credit crunch and recession.
Based in Castlegate Way, Dudley, Hawkins Hatton has a team of 14 solicitors led by corporate partner Colin Rodrigues and managing partner Harminder Sandhu. As well as advising businesses on sales, mergers and acquisitions, the firm has a growing commercial property arm and handles a full range of corporate and commercial transactions, including employment law and dispute resolution.
At the anniversary dinner Colin Rodrigues said "Our whole ethos is about working in partnership and we've had tremendous support from both clients and associates within the professional services sector over the last five years. During this time we have continued to make steady progress despite the obvious challenges that all new businesses have faced over recent years.
The fact that we are now handling deals on international scale shows just how far we have come and we're looking forward to growing the firm further as the economic climate becomes more favourable for corporate transactions and in particular merger and acquisition activity."
Two well established Black Country printing firms have joined forces in a merger overseen by Dudley based corporate law firm Hawkins Hatton.
Dudley Print, based in Netherton, and Husselworks, which operates from Halesowen, have merged to create a more efficient and streamline operation.
The combined business will be able to offer a more comprehensive service to clients covering both short-run digital printing applications and the more complex, larger print processes and runs.
The new structure within the company, which employs 10 staff, has sales and design operating out of Halesowen and print production handled from the Netherton plant.
The owners James Barwell of Hussleworks and Nic Beales of Dudley Print will be joint directors and shareholders of the new business.
“We have been courting each other for some time, so you could say it’s been a very long engagement before the marriage,” commented James.
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton was responsible for advising the directors on the structure of the new business, including all TUPE undertakings with staff.
“The combined business will bring about a number of efficiencies, but importantly it will enable the company to offer a much broader range of printing and design services to clients across the region,” said Colin Rodrigues.
Tony Seaton of Blue Sky Corporate Finance Limited, the lead corporate finance advisor, said “What will emerge from the amalgamation of the two companies is a stronger company that will be capable of competing on more levels with their larger regional competitors”
Photo caption: From left to right, Ruth Coleridge, Hawkins Hatton, James Barwell, Hussleworks, Nic Beales, Dudley Print and Tony Seaton, Blue Sky Corporate Finance.
A West Midlands based recovery and maintenance business is driving ahead under new ownership.
Autorite (Willenhall) Limited, which was established in 1982, has been acquired by Darren Harris and his holding company Midlands Properties. Mr Harris is also a director of Autobits Scrap Metal which operates a mile away from Autorite on the Ashmore Lake Business Park in Willenhall.
Hawkins Hatton, the Dudley based corporate law firm, acted for Mr Harris advising him on all aspects of the business and asset purchase as well as the transfer of the five acre site whilst HSBC Bank in Wolverhampton helped fund the transaction.
Autorite specialises in heavy and light vehicle recovery 24 hours a day. It has both car and commercial vehicle workshops and carries out all types of vehicle repairs and maintenance. Autorite is a car MOT testing station and can prepare and present all commercial vehicles for test to ministry standards.
The business employs 20 long serving and loyal members of staff whose futures have been secured following the acquisition.
Commenting on the purchase Mr Harris said: “Autorite has a solid customer base benefitting from a full range of nationwide recovery services which we service 24/7 365 days a year through our own capability and a network of AVRO approved partners.”
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner for Hawkins Hatton said: “By acquiring the business the new owners have not only secured employment for the majority of the staff, but can ensure the company drives forward positively on the back of their plans to invest further in growing the customer base and services.”
Kevin Skym, area director for HSBC, said: “Our bank was supportive of Autorite and will be for other similar businesses who can demonstrate their ability to repay borrowings out of trading profits”.
Photo caption: From left to right, Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton; Darren Harris, Autorite; Gary Riley, HSBC.
Hawkins Hatton, the Dudley-based niche corporate law firm, has appointed Benjamin Jones as an associate commercial property solicitor.
Benjamin joins from George Green LLP Solicitors in Cradley Heath where, after completing his training, he spent the last six years working as an assistant and then as an associate solicitor in the firm’s commercial property department.
Educated at King Edward VI College in Stourbridge, Benjamin gained a law degree with honours at the University of Birmingham, before gaining a distinction in the Legal Practice Course.
During his time in practise, Benjamin has become well-respected in his field, working on a number of secured lending transactions for major high street banks. He has also gained significant experience in negotiating on behalf of both landlords and tenants and has provided commercial property support in a variety of corporate transactions including management buy-outs, asset deals and share sales and purchases.
Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, said the appointment would further strengthen the firm’s commercial property services to existing and new clients.
“As the commercial property and corporate sectors continue to recover from the recession, the appointment of Ben to work alongside our existing team of solicitors brings a wealth of additional experience to our clients. It also demonstrates the firm’s commitment to investing in young talented professionals who are committed to providing the very best in terms of quality of advice and service,” he said.
