Commercial law firm Hill Dickinson has advised on the acquisition of Wisla Narrow Fabrics Limited by way of a buy-in management buyout.
Wisla, a manufacturer of advanced technical textiles products based in Greater Manchester, manufactures a range of innovative products that are used across a range of sectors, notably agriculture, transportation, defence and marine industries.
Wisla also serves an international customer base, supplying to businesses in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Lead advisory services were provided to the acquirers (David and Tom Judge) by Arete Capital Partners, with Hill Dickinson (Matt Noon, Alex Thow and Joseph Reade) providing buy-side legal advice.
It was a privilege to support Tom and David on this transaction, which marks an exciting new chapter for what is already a great North-West business – we’ve no doubt under Tom and David’s stewardship the business will continue to go from strength to strength.Alex Thow
Legal Director
Commenting on the deal, Tom Judge, managing director at Wisla, said: “The growth that Wisla has achieved over the last few years is testament to the dedication and expertise of its team, and represents an exciting opportunity. We are delighted to be the next custodians of Wisla and are committed to continuing to deliver exceptional service to clients while driving investment into new, innovative technologies – it’s very much business as usual”.
Briony Fagan, investment director at Arete Capital Partners, said: “This is a really good example in providing shareholder solutions for our high-net-worth client base. Wisla is a heritage business with a strong track record of delivery in the high tech manufacturing sector and is a great opportunity for Tom and David.”
Commenting on Hill Dickinson’s role, Briony added: “Alex Thow led the day-to-day transaction on behalf of Hill Dickinson and owned the co-ordination of the process between both sell-side and buy-side legal teams. He overlaid commercial rationale onto all key legal correspondence and offered pragmatic advice as to the best way forward during negotiations, which was key to the success of the deal. Alex was also well supported by Joseph Reade on the legal due diligence.”
Alex Thow, legal director at Hill Dickinson added: “It was a privilege to support Tom and David on this transaction, which marks an exciting new chapter for what is already a great North-West business – we’ve no doubt under Tom and David’s stewardship the business will continue to go from strength to strength.”