Inform Magazine

A BUYER’S VIEW: “EVERY TIME I GET AN E-MAIL FROM KBS, I GET A LITTLE EXCITED!”

DANIEL ZHANG CXO, TEQNION

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inding the ideal acquirer for a client is always gratifying, but when that buyer cements the relationship by entering into further deals with KBS it’s even more fulfilling. Swedish industrial group Teqnion have added eight companies to their portfolio since 2023 with our help – Daniel Zhang, their CXO, explains why they keep coming back for more…

Selling companies is not like selling coffee or cakes, at least not on the face of it. Unlike your typical high street café or bakery, you don’t tend to see the same faces every Saturday morning, those loyal customers who know and trust the wares you have available. For most business owners, selling a company is a one-and-done event. Acquiring, on the other hand, can be different – but even at KBS, where we sell more companies than any other adviser in the UK and Europe, you still wouldn’t anticipate the kind of familiarity with buyers that a thriving local shopkeeper might expect. However, Teqnion are a different proposition. The Swedish industrial group have found the companies on offer with KBS to be every bit as appealing as a tasty cinnamon croissant and a frothy chocolate-sprinkled cappuccino – and they keep coming back for more. Since May 2023, eight companies have been acquired by Teqnion in which KBS has served as sell-side adviser. All of them have fitted perfectly into the acquisition model operated by the group based in Solna, just outside the centre of Stockholm, the Swedish capital. Teqnion, in their own words, are interested in robust industrial companies with good profitability and sound history. They invest in people, strong entrepreneurs who are passionate about their projects. “Commitment, attitude and will are just as important as product design and market share,” they say. Then, under their long-term ownership, it’s all about taking the company to the next level, for they have no exit strategy themselves. The subsidiaries are run by competent managers who, together with their employees, are driven to constantly develop the companies and become more customer-oriented. Since acquiring Stanwell Group in May 2023, Teqnion have returned to KBS seven more times to add Surge Protection Devices, Nubis Solutions, Avelair, UK Lanyard Makers, Awarded 2U, Merridale and Norlin Polymers to their growing portfolio. The triangular structure comprising company shareholders, Teqnion and KBS is clearly built on very secure foundations. And - revisiting the bakery theme for a moment - just to put the icing on the cake, Teqnion are excellent to work with: proactive, approachable, open, friendly and helpful! We asked Daniel Zhang, Teqnion’s CXO, to provide an insight into the successful collaboration with KBS which continues to be so rewarding for UK company owners.

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