Engineering firm snapped up by management consultancy

A Bradford-based engineering business has been acquired by management consultancy, kadops Holdings.

Panda Engineering, which is a precision machining and fabrication workshop, has a team of 14 operators and was founded over 20 years ago by Peter Hobson.

kadops Holdings, the parent company of kadops management consultancy, was established in 2017 by Kieran Doyle and Kirstie Allenby.

Based in Batley, kadops specialises in supporting manufacturing businesses and their funding partners by providing financial, commercial and operational advice as well as pre-investment due diligence.

The deal was supported by a number of advisers including Caitlin Johnson and Avril Mullin of Clarion in Leeds, who provided legal support to kadops; and Ian Cotton and Catherine McGorrrigan of Aldermore Bank, which provided invoice financing.

Doyle said: “With our extensive experience of supporting the manufacturing sector, we believe we can add real value to the Panda Engineering business. Peter Hobson has built a fantastic firm with a committed and skilled team and we want to take it to the next phase of its development.

“Traditionally, the business has focussed on serving local food and construction industries, but we plan to use our knowledge to explore opportunities in other markets such as oil and gas, and hydraulics.

“This acquisition perfectly fits our consultancy model and our plan is to guide and support the existing leadership team, empowering them to grow the business and realise its potential.”