Howes Percival has acted for Loughborough-based engineering business Alway Group, on the sale to MotionTech, a global industrial automation group.
Established in 1985, Alway designs and supplies hygienic stainless-steel conveyors, food processing equipment and complete production lines. Joining MotionTech offers opportunities to expand internationally and combine Alway’s equipment with the group’s robotics and palletising technology.
Following the transaction, Alway will keep its name, organisational structure and leadership, including managing director Jason Larke.
Tanya Hancox and Gareth John of Howes Percival’s Leicester Corporate team advised Jason and the other shareholders of the Alway Group on all aspects of the transaction, including managing the legal due diligence process and data room, negotiating the sale and disclosure documentation, and coordinating the various legal workstreams required to get the deal through to exchange and completion.
The Corporate team worked closely with other specialists from across the firm, including Tax, Employment and Real Estate, to advise on the different aspects of the transaction including Nick Benton, Helen Parrot, Mia Lees, Jacob Denness, Courtney Kidney and Sam Moore.
Alway’s owners were also advised by John Sykes of Skye Corporate Finance (corporate finance), Simon Browning of Bright Advisory (tax), and Jo Duddle and the Leicester team at RSM (accounting support).
Tanya Hancox, Corporate expert at Howes Percival, said:
We are delighted to have advised Jason Larke and the other sellers on the sale. The Alway Group is a fantastic East Midlands engineering business with a strong reputation in its specialist markets, and MotionTech provides an exciting platform for its next stage of growth. It was a complex transaction with a number of different workstreams, and it was great to work alongside the shareholders and their wider advisory team to get the deal successfully completed.
The East Midlands has a strong heritage in engineering and manufacturing, with many established, owner-managed businesses having developed specialist expertise and strong positions in niche markets. These businesses can be attractive to international groups looking to expand their capabilities and geographic reach. The transaction is a good example of the increasingly sophisticated work our Corporate team is equipped to handle for shareholders of established owner-managed businesses. We are also regularly seeing deal structures, where sellers may reinvest alongside a buyer or remain involved with the business, allowing them to realise value while retaining an interest in its future growth.
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