Qualter Hall

THE OPPORTUNITY

Qualter Hall, founded in 1860, is well-known for its engineering excellence, both in the UK and internationally. The business has comprehensive design and manufacturing facilities and provides an attractive ‘one stop shop’ for a multitude of engineering solutions. Operating across a number of sectors and disciplines, its largest markets focus on moving structures in bridge building, nuclear solutions (including design and manufacture of blast doors and bogies), mining and hoisting, water control gates/barriers and services to the ship building industry (under the Hugh Smith division and brand) including design and manufacture of roll presses, hydro levels and plate bending machinery.

In late 2018, Qualter Hall’s former parent company and wider international group, Waagner Biro AG, entered an insolvency process and Enact were able to support an MBO of the business (which largely operated independently to the wider group) by the long standing incumbent management team, completing in March 2019. Enact supported the MBO team with the acquisition and provided additional working capital to the business, which brought stability during a period of uncertainty due to the group insolvency.

THE IMPACT SO FAR

Following the acquisition, in addition to providing additional working capital facilities, Enact worked closely with management to stabilise the business and manage the effects seen from the former parent’s insolvency.

Enact has introduced additional resource to the management team helping to professionalise the existing processes including the recruitment of a qualified Finance Director, an experienced Managing Director and further developing the sales and commercial teams.

Having navigated through the impact of both the former parent insolvency and the significant impacts of COVID the business has returned to a sustained level of profitability as it looks to deliver its growth ambitions.