Birmingham engineering firm snapped up by investor
Power Capacitors, a Birmingham-based specialist in power quality and power factor correction, has been acquired by engineer and sector investor Harry Townshend.
The business had remained in family ownership since its inception in 1973, but the second generation recently opted to retire, prompting the search for a new owner.
Townshend, who has a background in engineering and business investment, was identified as a suitable successor to take the company forward.
The acquisition was backed by a £1.4m asset-based lending package from Arbuthnot Commercial Asset Based Lending, providing working capital and supporting plans for future growth.
Power Capacitors serves a wide customer base – from multinational corporations to SMEs and private individuals – and delivers a mix of product sales, servicing, maintenance, and installation across power quality systems.
The company will continue to operate from its existing Birmingham site under the new ownership.
Townshend said: “Asset Based Lending provided the ideal funding platform for the deal. I reached out to my network to start examining providers that might fit the bill and was recommended to contact Arbuthnot. The team was very helpful from the outset, even to the extent of very honestly suggesting
that I contact a broker and undertake a full evaluation of the market. I saw five providers, but Arbuthnot came out on top.”
“Not only did Arbuthnot provide the most commercial terms across the board, but they also took the time to visit the business and meet with me and the seller. They prepared for that meeting extremely thoroughly and have shown themselves to be utterly trustworthy, easy to work with, and knowledgeable ever since.”
Andrew Rutherford, commercial director at Arbuthnot Commercial Asset Based Lending said: “We work in an age where it is not always seen as important to build solid and trusting face-to-face business relationships. That’s good for us because it’s how we do things and it’s a foundation of our success. We are delighted to be supporting Harry and Power Capacitors as the business enters this exciting new era.”
