Irwin Mitchell Advises Samuel Hodge on Abrasive Deal

9th October 2014

A team of advisors from Irwin Mitchell and BHP Corporate Finance has advised Samuel Hodge Group on its acquisition of Mac'Ants Abrasives.

Headquartered in Sheffield, Samuel Hodge is a privately owned engineering group with operations across the UK and Poland.  With a history dating back to 1887, the group's activities span a diverse range of industrial sectors including aerospace, marine and brewing. Through its subsidiary Hodge Clemco, Samuel Hodge is the market leader in the supply and manufacture of abrasive blast cleaning and surface treatment equipment.  Dinnington based Mac'Ants is a supplier of abrasives and blast materials and is one of the world's largest specialist plastic media manufacturers. Following the acquisition the enlarged Samuel Hodge Group will employ more than 180 people and have a combined turnover in excess of £25 million. Commenting on the deal, Samuel Hodge's managing director, Neal Crisford "Mac'Ants is a very well respected name in the industry and we are delighted to welcome the team into the Samuel Hodge Group. We share the same ethos of quality and innovation and together Hodge Clemco and Mac'Ants will be able to offer our customers an unparalleled range of equipment and consumables for surface treatment and blast cleaning." Legal advice to Samuel Hodge was provided by Kevin Cunningham, James Foster and Emma Garth at Irwin Mitchell.  Kevin Cunningham, Corporate Partner, commented: -The Samuel Hodge Group is a great example of why Yorkshire has such a strong reputation for engineering excellence and innovation. This is a superb acquisition and one which will strengthen its already market leading position in the surface treatment and blast cleaning sector. BHP Corporate Finance partners Don Gray and David Forrest acted as lead advisors to Samuel Hodge.  Don Gray said. -The transaction is a great example of a business executing a strategic acquisition to enhance its service and product offering.  With confidence in the economic outlook continuing to improve, we are seeing an increasing number of clients looking at acquisitions as a key element of their growth strategy.