YFM Equity Partners has added a new business to its portfolio through the backing of Leengate Valves by way of an undisclosed transaction.

Derbyshire-based Leengate Valves, which stocks and distributes industrial valves, has used its equity backing to launch a management buy-out (MBO).

The deal sees the £7 million turnover business move away from holding company Linde, a German listed industrial gases and engineering company. 

Steve Pickering, managing director of Leengate Valves, comments, ‘We are very proud to become an independent business with the help of YFM Equity Partners and HSBC Bank.

‘We hope to increase our customer base in the UK and Ireland and employ some additional staff to help deliver that growth.’

As part of the deal, David Bramwell, who also services as non-executive chairman at fellow YFM Equity Partners portfolio firm President Engineering, will take up the same role at Leengate Valves.

The investment is the first to be made by YFM Equity Partners since it funded the MBO of cable assembly manufacturer GTK UK in early November.

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Alongside President Engineering, YFM Equity Partners also counts Seven Technologies as another manufacturing interest.

Mary Broadhead, investment director at the firm, says, ‘Leengate Valves is a highly respected and trusted company with an experienced management team and a variety of long-standing customer relationships.

‘With the help of David Bramwell, we look forward to using our experience in growing engineering and manufacturing businesses to help Steve [Pickering], Mick and Leigh [sales director and commercial director] as they develop existing and new markets for its products and services.’