Specialist vehicle converter S.MacNeillie & Son (MacNeillie) has acquired motorsport engineering company EPM Technology’s production centre, for undisclosed terms.

Specialist vehicle converter S.MacNeillie & Son (MacNeillie) has acquired motorsport engineering company EPM Technology’s production centre, for undisclosed terms.

The acquirer, founded 95 years ago, is a supplier to the emergency services, military and other security-focussed organisations nationally and overseas. It has bought EPM Technology’s Coalville composite materials production site and workforce. The Coalville operation will be known as MacNeillie Composites.

Smith Partnership provided legal advice to the vendors. The team was led by associate partner within the firm’s company and commercial department Fraser Cunningham. He was supported by Jason Wood and James Johnson, in relation to property and employment matters respectively.

The Coalville plant’s capability to produce components and products for external third parties will be retained by MacNeillie. EPM Technology will retain and continue its niche market motorsport and automotive activities, which will be concentrated at its development centre at Draycott in Derbyshire.

Smith Partnership has a long-standing relationship with EPM Technology advising on domestic and overseas interests.

Cunningham said: “We are delighted to have been involved in what is a significant step for EPM. This sale enables EPM to focus it efforts on its developing high performance engineering and growing motorsport commitments which Smith Partnership shall continue to support.”

Enoch Evans Solicitors acted for the purchaser. Commercial partner David Evans led the team providing legal advice to the acquirers. His team was assisted by the commercial property and employment department at the firm.

Evans said: “We were delighted to be involved in this acquisition on behalf of our clients S. MacNeillie & Son. The acquisition was important for the client since the business undertaken by the seller is seen as integral for the ongoing development of our clients own business.

“The transaction was complicated by the desire for the seller to surrender its interest in its premises in Coalville and the need for our client to retain those premises. This resulted in complicated three-way negotiations with the solicitors acting for the landlord and the sellers to ensure that all the documentation was agreed on time and the operation could carry on seamlessly from the premises in Coalville.”

MacNeillie pioneered the use of composites in ambulances with some of the engineering practices integrated into MacNeillie’s frontline ambulance design. These designs will be incorporated into the new Metropolitan Police Tactical Support Group (TSG) units, currently entering production.