Advantos Group – the acquisitions platform for the mechanical, electrical and facilities management sector – has added a fourth business to its group with the help of funding from Frontier Development Capital (FDC).
The addition of United Facilities Management (UFM) brings the group’s total turnover to over £22m, and keeps it on track to achieve its ambitious goal of reaching £150m by 2033.
UFM, which is based in Basildon with an office in Reading, employs around 45 people and specialises in preventative and reactive maintenance as well as one-off projects. With a client base that includes some of the most prestigious names in commercial property, UFM manages a portfolio of properties across central London and the South of England. Its Managing Director, Stephen Bouchard, who founded the business in 1996, will remain in position and continue to lead its growth.
Advantos Group was established in 2021 by Sam Turner to create an acquisitions platform for mechanical and electrical (M&E) and facilities management (FM) businesses including plumbing, HVAC and electrical firms. It acquired IJC Building Services of Cambridgeshire the same year, adding DJ Mace & Son in Reading and JD Services of Dartford in 2022.
Advantos enables businesses to continue to operate independently within their local markets and under their existing brand while benefiting from enhanced buying power, cross-selling opportunities and a sharing of knowledge and best practice as part of a wider group.
Sam Turner, chief executive of Advantos, said: “We are very pleased to welcome UFM to the Advantos family. Like other businesses in the group, it has a strong focus on quality and service, and a track record for growth. The acquisition further expands our services and geographic footprint in the south of England and puts us well on track to achieve our aim of becoming a £150m-revenue group within 10 years.”
Ondrej Okeke and Kathryn Hoverd led the deal on behalf of Frontier Development Capital.
Kathryn Hoverd said: “Mechanical and electrical businesses provide essential services yet the sector is highly fragmented with lots of small firms that lack the ability to scale. Advantos gives them the autonomy to run their own business while enjoying the benefits of being part of a larger group. Sam and the team have created a strong platform on which to build. We are pleased to support them, not only to facilitate this latest deal but also to enable them to pursue further acquisitions in the near future.”
Part of Mercia Asset Management, FDC supports mid-market SME businesses across the country with debt funding between £1m and £7.5m.
