Case studies

The easiest way to understand what we do is probably by looking at what we have done for clients.

So here’s a sample of what we’ve done:

Sector / Size

multi site manufacturing and distribution
1,000+ employees

Situation

substantial ongoing losses
institutional owners wanted out

Impact

businesses restructured to trade profitably and cash positively
core business sales pushed up by 50% in a year
business marketed and sold for 60% more than owner expectations

Sector / Size

cross-border manufacturer, hi-tech, No 3 in marketplace
250+ employees in Holland/Germany, service centres across world
50m Euro business

Situation

part way through an operational turnaround
family business with severe tensions
significant loss of banking relationship, breach of covenants/bank wanted out
bank in for 16m Euros

Impact

assessment of cross-border options (insolvent/non-insolvent options)
communication/management with bank
introduction to equity players

Sector / Size

entrepreneur owned shop fitters
£10m turnover

Situation

FD departed during a cash crisis
bank imposed Independent Business Review
contracts out of control

Impact

cash crisis managed
contracts brought back under control and into profit
bank managed and back onside
profitable business restructured to protect property assets

Sector / Size

meat processing business – capacity £50m facility
annualised T/O up from £16m to £40m

Situation

poor directorial leadership, black hole in debtors ledger
bank factor exposed to £1.7m, I/Co loans of circa £5.6m
severe conflicts amongst directors/shareholders & I/Cos
high T/O with net loss and poor gross margins

Impact

recruitment of high calibre FD/departure of incumbent
crisis stabilisation, sacking of poor customers
identification of new investor/deal over share purchase
management of bank factor relationship, mentor MD

Sector / Size

family owned furniture importers
£5m turnover

Situation

major bad debts
substantial excess stocks going into winter
bank imposed Independent Business Review

Impact

cash managed to trade through winter
stock worked down to reduce bank
rump business managed to closure
business restarted on new trading model

Sector / Size

agricultural, mixed arable/animals, 1,000 acres
tenant farmers, 3 generations, 2 partnerships, T/O circa £3m
landlord owned land for 600 yrs

Situation

tenant given notice to quit due to unrelated company failure
likely preference action, potentially leading to bankruptcy
well run tenant farm over 30 yrs

Impact

reformat farm business, consolidating business sale and asset sale to new ltd co, different members and directors with enlarged asset base
assertive negotiations with landlord, outcome new farm business tenancy for 25 years
preference action pushed out to enable partners to conclude litigation against local authorities

Sector / Size

transport and warehousing
£9m turnover
90 employees

Situation

falling sales and profitability
bank covenants broken, imminent IBR
forecast worse, creditor pressure

Impact

diagnosis to assess status with cashflows
6 point initiatives to arrest decline
gained support of bank and invoice discount stakeholders
instant results meant a return of confidence by all employees and stakeholders
returned company to safety

Sector / Size

Tier I automotive presswork manufacturer, subsidiary of quoted Plc
140 employees on one West Midlands site
70% UK sales with remainder in Western Europe
annual sales £13m

Situation

3 separate underperforming subsidiaries had been located on one site to reduce costs
3 separate management teams
negative profit and cash performance
poor management information
poor communication up and down
long running HR issues
high levels of stock and WIP

Impact

assessment of viability of total business
assessment of profitable/unprofitable products
assessed management teams, implemented a plan to reduce numbers and reassigned duties
introduced budgets, controls and KPIs
increased prices at major OEM customers to restore margin
collected £200k of 18 month old debts
conducted 5S exercise across the site
business under control and producing positive results in preparation for sale

Sector / Size