Strata advised Solarsoft Acquisition Limited

Advised Solarsoft Acquisition Limited on a recommended $35 million cash offer for Chelford Group plc

2008

Transaction Summary

Advised Solarsoft Acquisition Limited, a company formed at the direction of Marlin Equity Partners LLC, a US-based private equity firm, on the recommended $35 million cash offer for Chelford Group plc (AIM: CHR)

Transaction Highlights

  • Chelford Group plc, a London AIM market listed company, was acquired by Solarsoft Business Systems,a company controlled by Marlin Equity Partners, for a total consideration of some $35 million
  • Chelford was a leading provider of specialist solutions in the areas of supply chain management, ERP, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution, asset tracking and financials
  • The acquisition expanded Solarsoft’s scale of its operations, the range of its product offering and vertical market expertise
  • Strata Partners acted as the exclusive financial adviser to Marlin and Solarsoft, advising about all aspects of the public offer
  • The team at Strata met an extremely tight timetable with less than 4 weeks from appointment by the client to posting of the offer document

Company Profile

  • Solarsoft Business Systems is a supplier of ERP software and IT services to manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers. It has a customer base of over 1,700 companies and employs in the order of 350 staff in Europe, North America  and Asia
  • Marlin Equity Partners is an independent US-based private equity firm. In November 2007, Marlin announced the closing of a new $300 million institutional private equity fund

"We chose Strata to advise us on our first European public acquisition - the US$35 million public offer for Chelford Group plc. The team at Strata met an extremely tight timetable and provided first class advice in helping us navigate the UK Takeover Code.

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Nick Kaiser | Principal | Marlin Equity Partners LLC