James Grenfell of Orbis Partners has won the top Dealmaker of the Year prize at Insider's Midlands Dealmakers Awards.
He collected the prize in front of 570 of the region's top professionals, gathered at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, NEC, Birmingham, to celebrate the community's achievements after a year which showed signs of recovery.
Kurt Jacobs, editor of Midlands Business Insider, praised the Midlands dealmaki... more
Abacus, the East Midlands based international lighting group, has been acquired out of administration by a group of industrialists and financiers, saving 150 jobs.
The business is being recapitalised with £5 million of investment and working capital facilities from a combination of funds from Intrinsic Equity, the investment vehicle for the partners of Orbis Partners LLP, trade investment from Diesel Marine International ... more
Orbis Partners LLP have led the multi million pound disposal of the UK's leading tile accessory distributor, Homelux Limited whilst also completing the secondary buy-out of Nenplas Limited, a leading plastic extrusion manufacturer. Both companies, based in Ashbourne, were backed by Maven Capital Partners and had bank facilities from Yorkshire Bank.
The deal was led by Birmingham based Orbis Partners LLP and SGH Martineau,... more
Accutronics, the Midlands-based battery specialist has won the heavily contested Lombard Award for Innovation in Products and Processes at the Manufacturing Excellence Awards. The company was handed the trophy by Michael Portillo, the former Conservative Party politician and Cabinet Minister, at a ceremony held at The Dorchester in London on November 27, 2012.
This prestigious award recognises Accutronics’ exception... more
The guys at Orbis Partners did their bit to help raise awareness of testicular and prostrate cancer by attempting to grow facial hair during the month of November.
Testosterone in abundance, the men divided themselves into two teams to see who could grow the best set of moustaches and most importantly who could raise the most money for this fantastic cause. Not content with just an in-house competition, the teams also to... more
Orbis Partners have maintained their successful track record at the Midlands Insider Dealmakers Awards by winning the Turnaround Team of the Year for the second time in the past three years.
The Midlands Insider Dealmakers Awards gathered 650 top acquisition, finance and buyout professionals at the Hilton Metropole Hotel to celebrate their achievements. The event was compéred by broadcaster Paddy O’Connell and raised mone... more
Toby was part of a group of 44 cyclists who rode from Llandudno in North Wales to Shrewley over 3 days at the end of June in aid of the Molly Olly's Wishes charity.
Molly Olly's Wishes aims to support emotionally and financially, where appropriate the lives of children with terminal or life threatening illnesses throughout the Midlands and the UK and to advise and assist their families. Further details about the Molly O... more
The Midlands corporate finance community got together for an X Factor-style singer event in aid of Mencap held at The Jam House in Birmingham.
The event was won by Kerry Swain of Endless with an excellent rendition of 'Nine to Five' with Chris Loughran of Deloitte coming second with 'Everlasting Love'. Orbis's James Grenfell managed a highly respectable third place with an enthusiastic version of 'Keep Your Hat On'. Eve... more
Orbis Partners have won Turnaround Team of the Year at this year’s Dealmaker Awards as well as receiving nominations in 3 other categories.
This is a great result for Orbis Partners given that the competition was from the Big 4 accountants and was closely contested by Endless, the turnaround fund. Insider magazine reported “Orbis has a distinct model, as far as turnaround is concerned. The firm has made more than 20 in... more
James Grenfell and Craig Nash of Orbis Partners have successfully completed the Three Peaks Challenge.
The challenge, to climb the highest mountains in Wales, England and Scotland in a 24 hour period, involves climbing over 11,000ft.
Walking with a team from investee company Homebuy, James & Craig began the climb of Snowdon shortly before 8am on Friday morning, completing the descent of Ben Nevis just after 10am on Satur... more
LDC, the leading mid-market private equity firm, has backed the management buyout of Antler – the UK’s number one luggage brand – for an undisclosed sum.
Orbis Partners LLP, the Birmingham based corporate finance business, led the transaction, have invested in Antler and James Grenfell has taken a board role.
Antler, which is headquartered in Bury and has offices in Chicago, North America and China, designs, source... more
Staffordshire based smart battery manufacturer Accutronics Ltd has been bought out of administrative receivership, saving 47 jobs in Newcastle under Lyme.
Catapult Venture Managers and Orbis Partners LLP have backed the acquisition of the business together with an invoice discounting facility provided by Fortis Commercial Finance.
Accutronics specialises in developing and manufacturing custom-designed batteries for... more
Orbis Partners LLP, the Birmingham based corporate financiers, have invested in Homes Caring for Autism Limited through its investment vehicle for a significant minority stake.
HCA is a group of four homes based in Somerset specialising in the residential care for young adults with complex needs arising from autism. The business was founded in 2003 and the opportunity arose to establish two further homes in Taunton whi... more
Two West Midlands-based professional services firms have advised on the multi-million pound sale of a web-hosting company, after also advising on its management buyout two years ago.
Birmingham-based corporate finance advisers Orbis Partners and Black Country law firm George Green advised on the acquisition of Virtual Internet Limited by UK2 Group Limited, for an undisclosed amount.
Based in London, Virtual Interne... more
Birmingham-based corporate finance advisor, Orbis Partners, has advised the management of Microlise Limited and also invested in the multi-million buy-out of the company. Microlise, based in Eastwood, Nottingham, is one of the UK’s leading providers of technology solutions for the transport & logistics industry.
The senior management team, led by managing director Nadeem Raza, has acquired the company for an und... more
Midlands financiers James Grenfell of Orbis Partners and Roy Howell are leading investors in film production and on line distributor, European Drama Network which specialises in making modern movies from classic plays. Distributing its films via the internet for a global home cinema market it is tapping into the potential for niche film brands created by the growth in on-demand home cinema and TV.
Producer Simon Woods h... more
Crashed discount bookshop group, The Works, has been saved along with 2,200 jobs following a £25 million management buyin.
A new team, led by chief executive Anthony Skitt and chairman Alan Smith, say they have developed a robust plan focused on returning the business to its core values.
The Birmingham-based company, built up by former owner Mike Crossley and his wife Jane, was the subject of a management buyout in ... more
Birmingham accountancy firm Orbis Partners says it has has nursed an ailing spa manufacturer back to health in just over a year.
Now the business - which was in administration just before Christmas 2005 - has been sold on to Italian luxury bathroom business Teuco Guzzini.
The spa maker is Spaform UK, based in Portsmouth, which has been manufacturing hot tubs in the UK since the early 1980s.
Although the company... more
Newly formed Midlands corporate finance advisor Orbis Partners has recently put together its second deal in a month.
Orbis Partners, formerly Kroll Corporate Finance, engineered the management buy-out of Virtual Internet UK (VI), a London-based internet and managed services provider.
The Orbis team have between them taken a 12 per cent equity stake in the new company.
Since 1995 VI has been at the forefront of ... more
A team of Birmingham funders and advisers have put together the multi million pound management buyout of the UK’s leading tile accessory and plastic extrusion manufacturer.
Homelux Nenplas, which is based in Ashbourne, has been backed by the Birmingham office of Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital (AAMGC), with bank finance being provided by Yorkshire Bank. AAMGC has taken a significant minority stake in the company... more