Accountants and business advisors Beever and Struthers successfully advise on the sale of Porter Lancastrian (Holdings) Ltd to Valpar Micro Matic Ltd

Accountants and business advisors Beever and Struthers have successfully advised the shareholders of Porter Lancastrian (Holdings) Ltd on its sale to Danish–owned Valpar Micro Matic Ltd. 

Porter Lancastrian, Britain’s leading manufacturer of draught beer fonts, was founded in 1936.  The company, which employs 40 people, is located in Chorley, Lancashire, and has its own manufacturing facility with in-house design, engineering and sales functions.  

With a dedicated focus on standard draught beer fonts, Porter Lancastrian has achieved a leading position in this market segment in the UK. The company offers a wide variety of standard draught beer fonts, tap handles and lenses, and customers can also create their own artwork and have a complete branded draught beer font.

Micro Matic already has a strong global market position in custom-designed draught beer fonts, thus the acquisition of Porter Lancastrian compliments Micro Matic’s current business extremely well.  In addition to a strengthened position in the important UK market, the acquisition makes it possible to sell Porter Lancastrian’s products outside the UK through Micro Matic’s global sales network.

Andrew Brown, managing director of Porter Lancastrian, who will continue in his role of managing the day-to-day business of the company after the acquisition, said: 

“By becoming part of Micro Matic we can achieve positive synergies in our home market, and at the same time we get access to valuable knowledge and know-how, not least through Micro Matic’s global sales organisation”.

John O’Neill, managing director of Valpar Micro Matic, added: “Porter Lancastrian is a proficient enterprise with a long history, competent employees and visionary management. We do not often find a company that complements our own business so well”.

The Beever and Struthers’ team, led by corporate finance director Dean Curtis, advised on the share sale with support from corporate finance manager Patrick Wilson and tax partner Will Campbell .

Dean Curtis said: “The transaction highlights the continued interest from international businesses looking to enter or strengthen their position in the UK market.  I am confident that the company will be able to achieve the next stages of its growth strategy, and further enhance its position as a high-quality North-West business operating in the UK and internationally”.

Legal advice for the sellers was provided by a team led by Benjamin Dredge, managing partner at CG Professional with support from colleagues Samantha Pickover and Rory Manning.   

Valpar Micro Matics Ltd was represented by Penningtons Manches Cooper (legal) and ASM Chartered Accountants (financial and tax due diligence).

Benjamin Dredge added: “We were introduced to Andrew and Porter Lancastrian several years ago by Beever and Struthers.  Since then, our relationships director Andy Dunn has worked closely with them on various matters, and it’s therefore been a pleasure to see the business move on to the next stage of its journey.”