PE-backed James Briggs offloads cleaning products business

OLDHAM-based aerosol and speciality chemicals manufacturer James Briggs has sold a cleaning products company it bought out of administration in 2015, for an undisclosed sum.

£50m+ turnover James Briggs, which can trace its roots back to 1830 and is backed by private equity firm Endless, only bought Premier Products in 2015 but has described the disposal as “non-core” and “strategic”.

Premiere, which makes branded and private label janitorial cleaning products, has a similarly strong heritage in the UK as a supplier of products for the commercial and consumer cleaning sectors since 1924.

The deal marks the third acquisition in five years for Buxton-based acquirer Selden Research, a £25m turnover manufacturer of professional cleaning products.

Selden, a family-owned business which employs around 165 staff, says the move will further increase its UK market share and provide access to export markets in the Middle and Far East.

Mark Woodhead, director at Selden, said: “Whilst Selden was already well established in our industry, having acquired Jeyes Professional in 2012, we are delighted about the acquisition of Premiere Products to enable us to further increase market share.”

In a statement James Briggs and Endless said: “James Briggs Limited is happy to have stabilised the trading performance of Premiere Products over the two years since it acquired the business and assets out of administration in April 2015.  

“The business is seen as having a strong strategic fit with Selden Research Limited and the acquirer is well placed to take it through its next phase of development and growth.”

Paul Whitney and Michael Berger on the Corporate finance team at Hallidays advised Selden on due diligence, working with law firm SAS Daniels.

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close