Published: Apr 02, 2012
Focus:
Growth Capital
Maven has provided a £3m funding package in support of the MBO of Cat Tech International from US environmental services business Clean Harbors Inc. Operating from offices in UK, Bulgaria, Sweden, China, Singapore and Thailand, Cat Tech is a leading provider of industrial services to oil refineries and petrochemical plants across several major international markets.
The company specialises in servicing equipment containing chemical reaction catalysts and introducing processes to improve catalyst handling operations where the ability to maintain operational efficiency is critical and there is an increasing focus on health and safety issues.
Operating in a sector with significant barriers to entry due to the limited number of specialist operators world-wide that have the skilled personnel and equipment to undertake catalyst handling projects, Cat Tech is well positioned for future growth as the demand for oil and petroleum based products continues to increase. The requirement for advanced planning of major plant maintenance programmes means that the company has very significant revenue visibility through a number of major contracts with blue chip clients such as BP, ExxonMobil, Shell and CSPC Petroleum.
Maven client funds have invested in a business which already enjoys an established market presence and an excellent reputation as an innovator, having developed a range of patented & proprietary products. The current senior team has successfully grown the business over the past four years and intends to drive further expansion through the development of its range of services and selective acquisitions, with a number of potential targets already identified. The team will be further enhanced by the appointment of a high quality chairman over the next few weeks and a senior sales and marketing appointment to develop additional markets.
The Maven investment was led by Andrew Ferguson who will join the board of Cat Tech.
Karl Thew, Managing Director of Cat Tech International, said: “We are delighted to have completed the MBO of Cat Tech, and are confident that Maven’s investment will help us achieve our growth plans. We have successfully expanded the business to become established as one of the leading global providers of Catalyst handling services and are targeting continued growth in earnings and expansion into additional overseas markets. We look forward to working with Maven, which shares our ambitions and offers valuable experience of investment in high growth businesses and the oil refining and petrochemical sector.”
Andrew Ferguson, Partner at Maven Capital Partners, added: “Maven looks to partner only with profitable businesses led by dynamic and proven management teams. The investment in Cat Tech International was an opportunity to support a team that has demonstrated the ability to achieve consistent growth and develop new markets, through an innovative range of technologies in a market with considerable barriers to entry. The business is well placed to achieve further growth in view of anticipated rising global demand for its specialist services and an increasing focus among operators on plant efficiency, cost control and health and safety. We look forward to working closely with Karl and the team at Cat Tech.”
