Gloucester robotics business undergoes multi-million pound MBO

Published by

Nicky Godding

A Gloucester-based robotics business has undergone a multi-million pound management buy-out.

CKF Systems Ltd is an established UK Robotics and Automation supplier which has been operating for over 30 years. The company is one of the largest UK based system integrators, designing and manufacturing robotic systems, automated solutions and conveyor systems.

Two Gloucestershire law firms advised on the buyout of CKF Holdings Limited, the holding company of CKF Systems Limited.

The management team of CKF Systems Limited were advised by Willans LLP. BPE advised the exiting shareholders in the buyout.

The management team bought CKF Systems Ltd from the co-owners Bryan Wheeler and Paul Swift. Bryan, CKF’s founder and previous Managing Director, has retired from the business. Paul, the previous Operations Director, will continue in the business with the new owners, on the Board of Directors.

Jamie Quinton, Managing Director of CKF Systems Limited, said: “We’d like to thank the team at Willans for their pragmatic approach and commercially sound advice given to the management team."

Commenting on the deal, Chris Wills said: “Willans’ corporate team were pleased to be able to help advise the management team on the next phase of their journey as they take this state of the art company to new levels.”

BPE, led by Corporate Partner, Adam Kean advised the exiting shareholders in the buyout.

Adam Kean said “It has been a pleasure to work with Bryan, Paul and Vanessa on the sale of their shares in CKF Holdings. This is a great opportunity for CKF and we are happy to be a part of the company’s success story.”

Bryan Wheeler, Adam’s client said: “We completed this buyout during difficult times but BPE navigated us through the whole process with ease”.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.