Alantra advises Doncasters Group on the sale of Blaenavon Forgings to Arlington Capital Partners

Nov 2019

Sell-side advisory

Alantra, the independent global mid-market investment banking and asset management firm, has advised leading international manufacturing group Doncasters Ltd on the sale of two of its businesses – Blaenavon Forgings to US private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners and the UK Fabrications Business to Radius Aerospace, which is backed by Arlington Capital Partners.  Alantra’s experience of complex carve-out transactions coupled with its international sector team ensured the success of both transactions.

Headquartered in Blaenavon, Wales, United Kingdom, Blaenavon Forgings is a manufacturer of high-precision forgings to the aerospace and defence sector. The operation offers one-stop-shop production capabilities focused on both rolled rings and closed die products, with complementary services such as machining, heat treating, engineering, chemical processing, testing and inspection.  This is a direct investment by Arlington Capital Partners and complements their recent formation of Forged Solutions Group.

Based across two sites in Sheffield and Shrewsbury in the United Kingdom, with 400 skilled workers, the UK Fabrications Business designs and manufactures exhaust and nacelle components as well as airfoils for aircraft engines, serving large blue-chip engine manufacturers such as Safran, Rolls Royce, GE, Pratt & Whitney.  Radius Aerospace was attracted to the business’ MRO and OE content on next generation engine platforms; its breadth of manufacturing processes including but not limited to forming, machining and coating; and its IP. Radius itself is a carve-out from Triumph Aerospace and was backed by Arlington Capital Partners in March 2019. 

The Alantra team advising Doncasters comprised Wade Aust, David Waldstein, and Jackson Rimpas from Alantra’s Boston, USA, office, and Richard Benyahia and Oliver Hickley, who are based in Alantra’s Birmingham, UK, office.

Wade Aust, Partner and Managing Director, and David Waldstein, Director, who led the deal, commented, “We are delighted to have advised Doncasters, a leading global manufacturing business with a strong British heritage founded over 240 years ago.  This deal demonstrates our unique ability to combine global aerospace and defence sector expertise with local market-leading execution. Our cross-border team used their relationships with specialist financial investors and leading trade buyers to secure the best solution for Doncasters.”

Richard Benyahia, Vice President at Alantra added: “This was a complex carve out transaction which our international team managed carefully to ensure value was maximised with minimal execution risk.  Alantra is an expert in delivering carve-out transactions from large corporations and these deals serve as a great example of that led by a sector-focused, cross-border team.”