ales-krivec-N-aTikX-b00-unsplash

Selling Your Business

Valuations
Sale Process
Sale Options

How we deliver maximum value for you

Selling your business is a big decision, often the culmination of a lifetime’s work and carrying financial, professional and personal significance. Before you consider selling you will want and need to know the value of your business and how to prepare your business for a sale. As one of the longest serving corporate finance firms in London, when we work with you to sell your business, we do so having listened carefully to your objectives, always acting with your best interests in mind. Our aim is that every transaction on which we advise results in the optimal mix of the Corbett Keeling ‘3 Cs’: cash, certainty and chemistry.

CashOur advice aims to maximise the amount you receive from selling your company and typically results in a 40% uplift in sale value

CertaintyWe work to create certainty in the success of a sale and have a 90% deal completion rate

ChemistryWe proactively seek a new owner who will help your company and your team to flourish

Before the process of preparing for a sale begins, you need to decide whether this is the right time for you to sell your business. We will work with you to analyse the factors that affect the current value of your company and identify implementable actions to improve profit growth and reduce risk, increasing value in the eyes of a buyer and preparing your company for the best time to sell, whether it’s now, in a few months’ time or even a year. To find out more about how to prepare your business for a sale, click here.

Our five stage sale process delivers maximum value for our clients:

01

Pre-sale Preparation
02

Process Preparation
03

Engagement & Negotiations
04

Due Diligence & Legal Documentation
05

Completion

Sale Options

Our team at Corbett Keeling will work with you to establish which type of transaction best meets your objectives. These options typically include:

A trade buyer is a company operating in your sector or adjacently in terms of geography, product or market, in the UK or abroad. The trade buyer might be a direct competitor or a company at a different point on the value chain, such as a customer or supplier. Trade buyers typically aim to benefit from strategic and synergistic alignment and so will often pay the highest price.

Benefits to business owners include:

Trade buyers often result in the highest price, often because of synergies that are achieved between buyer and seller
Trade buyers typically buy 100% of the business giving you the chance to exit your business completely
You may be offered a reduced but significant role in the company
The market position of your business may be enhanced as part of a larger group with complimentary products and services
Familiarity with the sector can enhance the chemistry between the buyer and your business

A financial buyer might be a private equity investor, an external debt provider such as bank or debt fund, a family office or even a high net worth individual. They will be looking to take a minority or majority stake in the business as part of a leveraged buy-out (LBO) transaction. The financial buyer will join the board of directors and typically look to sell their stake or exit the business within three to five years.

Benefits to business owners include:

The ability to realise capital from your business whilst staying involved
The opportunity to earn greater longer-term rewards as you retain a shareholding in a growing business
A higher valuation price which can be achieved by gearing
Minimal day to day interference; financial buyers are less likely to get involved with daily operations or disrupt staff
Chemistry with the buyer is often easier as there are less people directly involved in the business
There may be additional opportunities for growth backed by the buyer in the future

Selling to management involves the transfer of business ownership to a capable and ambitious senior management team via a management buy-out (MBO). The seller receives an initial payment with the remaining portion paid over the next three to five years. This type of sale can be funded by a private equity investor or an external debt provider such as a bank or debt fund; excess cash in the business is also often used to part fund a MBO.

Benefits to business owners include:

MBOs are often the easiest and most straightforward type of sale to arrange
Selling to management is the surest way to maintain confidentiality about the sale
MBOs generally have the highest sale completion rate
A higher valuation price can be achieved by gearing
You can be confident that the management team has a deep understanding of the business
MBOs typically result in a smoother transition for members of staff

An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is an indirect type of employee ownership where shares are held by an independent trust on behalf of all employees. This method of sale is especially attractive to company owners who can’t or don’t want to arrange a trade sale, perhaps because the business relies on a key contract, member of personnel or unprotected intellectual property, all of which may reduce their value to trade and financial buyers.

Benefits to business owners include:

Achieve a fair market value for your shares
Preserve the legacy and ethos of your business
Benefit from favourable tax exemptions
Incentivise your management and staff with the structure
Exit in a straightforward and quick transaction
Remain involved with the business if you would like to

Larger companies may be suited to an Initial Public Offering (“IPO”), also known as “floating” or “going public”, which means giving over a percentage of the company for purchase by the public in the form of shares. The company is listed on an exchange such as the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) or the London Stock Exchange, at which point shares can be bought and sold on public markets.

Benefits to business owners include:

The opportunity for you and fellow shareholders to realise cash
An injection of cash into the company to fund growth without resorting to debt and interest payments
Ability to raise debt on more favourable terms from banks
The opportunity to retain equity ownership and operational control while raising the company value
Raise company profile and press coverage
Improved ability to attract the best talent in the market with stock options and shares for which there is a market

Completed Transactions

Oldham Engineering

Corbett Keeling is delighted to announce the sale of Oldham Engineering, a long-established precision engineering business serving the defence, nuclear, oil and gas, steel, rail and other high-integrity engineering sectors, to Australian Sovereign Defence and Advanced Manufacturing (ASDAM), a leading Australian defence, advanced manufacturing and sustainment company. The transaction gives Oldham the backing of a larger group, positioning it to accelerate its growth and strengthen its role as one of the UK’s leading defence manufacturers, with enhanced UK–Australia cooperation.

Founded in 1861, Oldham has a long and proud history. It was acquired by the Dunigan family in 1993 and has since built a strong reputation for its technical capability, high-integrity engineering and long-term customer relationships. This deal represents a full exit for the Dunigan family, marking the close of more than thirty years of stewardship.

ASDAM has leading capabilities in advanced manufacturing and sustainment, supports a number of defence and non-defence programmes and has long-term relationships with governments, defence prime contractors and other industrial customers. With a portfolio of businesses including Marand, TAE Aerospace, Rosebank Engineering, Levett Engineering and Quickstep, ASDAM operates across 20 locations in Australia and the US. The acquisition of Oldham complements ASDAM’s existing capabilities and further expands the group’s capacity to deliver high-quality, high-compliance engineered solutions across allied supply chains.

Corbett Keeling supported Oldham from the earliest stages of its sale journey. Our Positioning and Readiness Optimisation (PRO) Review laid the foundations by assessing value, identifying opportunities to strengthen the business ahead of sale and preparing it for detailed buyer scrutiny. This preparatory work helped Oldham articulate its most compelling sale messages and gave the shareholders confidence as they embarked on the process.

Following the PRO Review, Corbett Keeling launched a global sale process, approaching a wide range of potential acquirers across trade and private equity. Leveraging our experience and our international Globalscope network, we generated strong interest from a diverse pool of buyers and guided the family through a series of competing offers. Throughout the process, we maintained competitive tension, coordinated management presentations and site visits, and negotiated across multiple deal structures and buyer types to secure the optimal blend of cash received, chemistry with the buyer and certainty of completion.

Managing a broad suite of financial, commercial, legal, tax, IT and property due diligence workstreams, we ensured momentum was maintained through to completion. This approach preserved value and delivered a result aligned with both shareholder expectations and ASDAM’s strategic goals.

Andrew Dunigan, former Managing Director and major shareholder, said:
“This marks an important moment for both the family and the business. After more than three decades at the helm, it was vital to find the right partner to take Oldham forward. As a family, we have felt comfortable passing the organisation to ASDAM, who have demonstrated very similar values that align well with the culture established within the company over many years. Corbett Keeling guided us through every stage, always with our interests at the centre. Their attention to detail, commitment and personal support throughout the process were exceptional.”

Harry Knight, Corporate Finance Director at Corbett Keeling, commented:
“Oldham is a great example of a high-quality British engineering business with deep sector heritage and strong technical capability. It has been a privilege to work with Andrew and his talented team to help them secure the right long-term partner. ASDAM is an excellent strategic fit and brings the scale and international reach that will support Oldham’s next stage of growth. We wish Andrew and the Dunigan family every success for the future and look forward to seeing Oldham thrive in its next chapter.”

Oldham Engineering
- Service
  - Selling Your Business
- Year2025
TMS Group

Corbett Keeling is delighted to have advised the shareholders of TMS Group on the successful sale of their businesses to Sullivan Street Partners, a UK-based private equity investor that specialises in mid-market companies.

TMS Group comprises Teignmouth Maritime Services (TMS) and Hesselberg-Hydro (HH) – two leading marine infrastructure service providers – and Marine Plant Hire (MPH), a marine plant charter and hire company that supports marine construction activities. Together, these businesses work across waterways and tidal coastal environments, specialising in repairs, construction and redevelopment projects.

Founded in 1991, TMS offers services including piling, dredging, waterway management and flood risk management. Founder Peter Stenner continues as CEO and retains a stake in the business. HH, established in 1986 and acquired through an MBO by Roger Smith in 2004, specialises in advanced flood risk management engineering. Roger also remains in the business as Managing Director.

The deal was designed to reward the founders, retain leadership and support future growth. Alongside partial cash-out and reinvestment, a long-term incentive scheme has been introduced for key employees, recognising their contribution and giving them a stake in the group’s future.

Corbett Keeling supported TMS Group at every stage of the investment process, with the transaction being led by Jim Keeling and Rob Callaghan. Their hands-on approach, careful positioning and tightly managed process helped unlock significant value and secure the right partner with the vision and flexibility to support long-term growth.

What the deal participants said:

Peter Stenner, CEO of TMS Group, said:
“Over the past 30 years, we’ve built the TMS Group with the support of dedicated friends and colleagues who have helped us get to where we are today. As for the sale process, I can definitely say we chose the right people to act for us. We were in safe hands with Rob and the Corbett Keeling team – sharp, dependable and genuinely supportive from start to finish.”

Richard Sanders, Founder and Managing Partner at Sullivan Street Partners, commented:
“TMS, HH and MPH are brilliant businesses, with a high-calibre workforce motivated to solve problems and tackle the challenges facing our coastline and inland waterways. Together with Peter and Roger, we’ll create a national marine infrastructure group with its own equipment and self-taught engineering staff – to get the UK to where we need to be.”

Jim Keeling, CEO of Corbett Keeling, said:
“It was a pleasure working with the absolutely first-class team at TMS Group to secure a successful majority exit for the founding shareholders. We’ve no doubt that the continuing management team, with the backing of Sullivan Street, will go on to achieve great things.”

TMS Group
- Service
  - Selling Your Business
- Year2025
Bébécar UK

Corbett Keeling is delighted to have advised the shareholders of Bébécar UK, a family-run company based in Norfolk, UK, on its sale to Baby Central, a trusted distributor of baby products in the UK.

Portuguese company Bébécar has been a leading brand in the UK baby products market for nearly four decades, known for its high-quality craftsmanship and innovative designs.

This transition marks a significant milestone for both businesses. Eric White, owner of Bébécar UK, has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Bébécar of Portugal and is confident that Baby Central will ensure the continued growth and success of the Bébécar brand in the UK.

Baby Central’s diverse portfolio includes globally recognised brands such as Dr Brown’s baby feeding products, WonderFold stroller wagons and Carefix maternity wear. The company also owns the dreamgenii brand, celebrated for its sleep positioners and baby-feeding cushions. This acquisition reinforces Baby Central’s commitment to offering a comprehensive range of premium baby and maternity products.

To ensure continuity for Bébécar’s UK retailers and customers, Baby Central is welcoming key team members from Bébécar UK, including experienced sales agents and support staff.

Harry Knight, advising on behalf of Corbett Keeling, said: "This was a great outcome for all parties. It has been a privilege to support Eric and Bébécar UK with corporate finance advice over the past five years, and we wish the company and its new owners every success."

Bébécar UK
- Service
  - Selling Your Business
- Year2025
East Coast Nursery

Corbett Keeling is delighted to have advised the shareholders of East Coast Nursery, a family-run company based in Norfolk, UK, on its sale to Clair de Lune, a trusted name in baby bedding and nursery essentials. The deal includes the well-respected East Coast and Silvercloud brands.

For over 65 years, East Coast Nursery has been supplying high-quality children's furniture and nursery products, with a strong commitment to UK design and manufacturing. Bringing together these two heritage brands presents an exciting opportunity to strengthen Clair de Lune’s offering for families across the UK.

Eric White, joint founder and long-time owner of East Coast Nursery, who has received both the Nursery and Pre-School Lifetime Achievement Awards, said: "Having worked with Clair de Lune’s parent company in the past, I know they’re the right fit to carry the East Coast brand forward and build on its strong reputation."

As part of this transition, Clair de Lune welcomes Anna Wilkinson, who brings extensive retail experience from her time as a buyer at Mothercare and Toys ‘R’ Us. She has successfully led Silvercloud with East Coast for 15 years.

Hadley Pollard, Managing Director of Clair de Lune, reflected on the company’s growth: "Over the past five years, we’ve taken Clair de Lune to new heights, and this acquisition is the next step in our journey. We’re excited to honour East Coast’s legacy while expanding our range of high-quality nursery products across the UK."

Harry Knight, who advised on behalf of Corbett Keeling, added: "This was a great outcome for all parties. It has been a privilege to support Eric and East Coast Nursery with corporate finance advice over the past five years, and we wish the company and its new owners every success."

East Coast Nursery
- Service
  - Selling Your Business
- Year2025

Explore more

Our Sectors

See what our clients say about us

Corbett Keeling Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 165387).
Registered in England and Wales No. 02811619. Registered office: 8 Angel Court, London EC2R 7HP.

© 2026 Corbett Keeling. All rights are reserved.