Asian investors to target West Midlands SMEs, says Clearwater
THE number of mid-market West Midlands engineering companies acquired by Asian investors is set to surge as Chinese and Indian groups look to cash in on British expertise, Clearwater Corporate Finance has predicted.
Until now, specialist aerospace and automotive firms have mostly been targeted by Western trade buyers and private equity groups attracted by supply chain contracts with industry giants such as Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce.
However, Birmingham’s Clearwater, a corporate finance advisory firm specialising in mid-market deals, says evidence points towards impending acquisitions by investors from China and India.
In its latest Precision Engineering report, Clearwater predicts increasing consolidation in the engineering sector. Some of that is likely to come from buyers from the two powerhouse Asian economies.
Constantine Biller, a partner in Clearwater’s specialist industrials team, said investors are attracted by existing expertise and contracts held by UK firms, particularly those in aerospace and automotive, which could be used to exploit opportunities in their own fast-growing Asian markets.
Engineering companies are also seen as well-priced compared with other sectors and there is now less competition from European buyers, who are struggling with anaemic economies.
Biller said: “India and China are gradually becoming more sophisticated when it comes to M&A and there is evidence to suggest the perfect storm is forming for them to significantly increase their investment in the UK engineering mid-market.
“Indian investors have an advantage with the language but we are seeing Chinese investors looking to move away from their policy of targeting multi-billion dollar ‘trophy assets’ in energy, mining and oil and gas.”
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