Bolster sells its stake in Gerco Brandpreventie to Unica
After a partnership of eleven years, Bolster Investment Partners sells its equity stake in Fire Safety Holding, the parent company of Gerco Brandpreventie and Applicom Brandpreventie, to technical service provider Unica. By joining forces with Unica, the market leader for both passive and active fire safety solutions in the Netherlands is created.
In 2010, Van Lanschot Participaties, Bolster’s predecessor, acquired a substantial minority stake in Gerco, the market leader in passive fire safety solutions in the Netherlands. During the investment period, Gerco strengthened its position as market leader in the Netherlands through, amongst others, the acquisition of Applicom, the transformation from a product to a multidisciplinary service oriented company and a continuous focus on process automation. To further accelerate growth, a project organization has been set up to execute complex fire safety renovations as main contractor.
By joining forces with Unica, the group has a comprehensive offering of both active and passive fire safety solutions for the most demanding customers and most complex buildings in the Netherlands. Gerco and Applicom will become part of the division Unica Fire Safety, in which all specialized knowledge in the field of fire safety is combined.
After a partnership of eleven years, the sale of Gerco confirms Bolster’s long-term investment horizon, focused on sustainable value creation by supporting organizations in realizing their growth potential.
Hans Nijssen, General Director of Gerco Brandpreventie, says: “The fire safety market is growing and specialist knowledge is gaining importance. It is therefore a logical step to join forces with Unica to further expand the range of services. I have always enjoyed working with Bolster. A down-to-earth partner that has always supported me and actively guided the transformation of our company.”
Michiel van Wissen, partner at Bolster Investment Partners explains: “We are proud to have been a shareholder of Gerco for over eleven years. Our long-term focus gave us the flexibility to further strengthen Gerco’s position as the undisputed market leader, despite several challenging years. We are convinced that Gerco and Applicom can further accelerate their growth with Unica as a new shareholder. We would like to thank the management team and our fellow shareholders for the very pleasant and professional cooperation.”
The transaction is subject to approval by the competition authorities.
For more information, please contact:
Gerco Brandpreventie
Hans Nijssen +31 6 53 66 59 42
Bolster Investment Partners
Michiel van Wissen +31 6 12 63 92 20
About Gerco Brandpreventie
Together with its sister company Applicom, Gerco is the market leader in the field of fire-resistant compartmentation of buildings and has a national coverage. Gerco is one of the few market players with the capacity to carry out large projects, often under time pressure. The company has a strong brand name that stands for specialism, quality and knowledge and is authorized to certify the fire safety of an object.
Gerco completes large and small projects for a very wide range of clients, including the central government, local authorities, semi-government institutions, building managers, contractors and installation companies. The company has a comprehensive services offering, from advice in the design phase to implementation and registration of certified solutions in a digital logbook.
About Bolster Investment Partners
Bolster Investment Partners is a long term investor specialized in minority stakes. Bolster invests in exceptional Dutch companies with a keen focus and a proven business model. Bolster supports entrepreneurs in realizing the full potential of their company, by acting as equal partners to make a difference. Since 1982 Bolster has successfully worked with more than 100 companies as an investment company.