We make complementary acquisitions to drive future organic growth, positioning behind exciting end markets, expanding our footprint in a core geography, or adding product capability.
Steve Sargeant
Group Corporate Development Director
We differentiate ourselves clearly from financial investors and other strategic buyers in our approach to acquisitions, and how we onboard businesses once they are part of our Group. We believe strongly that we are the best home for privately-owned businesses in our markets.
During the acquisition process, we are culturally sensitive to owners' emotional journeys; we are industry experts who understand your business and markets; and we are acquisition experts, who can move quickly and have cash available so don't need to raise funds to complete the transaction. We also offer shareholders the option of a full exit, and we pay fair value for businesses ensuring a win-win outcome.
Post-acquisition, we have a lot to offer too: we preserve the name, legacy, heritage and core values of the business; we give management teams the autonomy and accountability to continue to run their businesses; we are long-term partners to our acquisitions and invest in talent, technology and facilities. Lastly, Diploma is a great place to be – a fast-growing and successful Group that puts its people first.
Tyler Ragsdale and Rich Galgano on joining Diploma
"Diploma provided complete transparency throughout the process. Negotiations were fair and their approach gave me the sense of a very caring culture.”
Greg Fowler, Owner and MD, FITT Resources
"Diploma invest for the long term. The decentralised model is the same as ours, giving management teams the autonomy to make decisions and run their businesses."
Chris Ford, Owner of R&G Fluid Power Group
"I am very proud to leave DICSA to a Group like Diploma PLC, with a great leadership that will guarantee a successful future for us all.”
Irene Carmen Lequerica, Owner, DICSA
We acquire high-quality businesses with great leadership teams. We look to invest across all three of our Sectors – Seals, Controls and Life Sciences and are active across North America, Europe and Australia / New Zealand.
Our acquisitions have the same value-add distribution model that we do, ensuring customer loyalty and high gross margins. We look for businesses that have strong organic growth potential and ambition, and continue to invest in them.
In 2020, we acquired Windy City Wire - a value-add distributor of low-voltage wire and cable. Since joining the Group, Windy City Wire has performed extremely well. It has met our strategic objectives by strengthening the Controls Sector's presence in the US and exposing us to exciting and growing end markets. Operating profit almost tripled in three years under Diploma ownership.
R&G is our UK Aftermarket Seals business and a value-add distributor of seals, industrial hose & couplings, and pneumatics. It has given the Seals Sector important scale in the UK and broadened our product offering. We have continued to invest in strategic bolt-on acquisitions for R&G.
Techsil is our UK Specialty Adhesives business, supplying specialty silicones, adhesives and sealants with value-add services that include technical sales & support, branding, and technical specification. Since joining the Group, Techsil has made two bolt-on acquisitions, which have given the business greater exposure to new and attractive end markets, such as Aerospace. The business has nearly doubled in size since joining Diploma.
We offer absolute confidentiality and discretion, and our lean structure allows us to make decisions quickly.
We have business expertise in your industry and speak the same language, but we are also M&A experts and can navigate through an acquisition process efficiently. We are friendly, approachable, down-to-earth people who care about and understand the importance of culture. We pay a fair price for the businesses we acquire, to ensure the deal is a win-win.
We have a strong track record of successful acquisitions. We have completed over 30 acquisitions in the past 4 years, investing over £1 billion.
If you are considering selling your business, please get in touch for a confidential discussion.
Steve SargeantGroup Corporate Development Director+44 (0) 20 7549 5700Steve.Sargeant@diplomaplc.com
A sector with exciting end-market potential
Driving growth in the Seals sector
A sector positioned for growth