Deal Details

Distrelec Is Acquired by RS

Industrial

Distrelec, a portfolio company of AURELIUS, sale to RS

Summary

Distrelec Group (“Distrelec” or the “Company”), a portfolio company of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (“AURELIUS”), has been acquired by RS Group Plc (“RS”) for an enterprise value of €365m. The transaction is subject to various regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Baird served as the exclusive financial advisor to Distrelec’s shareholders on this transaction.

About

Distrelec is a leading high-service, digital-led value added distributor to the industrial and electronic component markets focusing on low volume, need-it-now products for MRO and R&D applications. The Company has a strong competitive position in key European markets. Distrelec serves 19 countries across Europe via two warehouses located in the Netherlands and Switzerland, carries >1k brands and serves >175k customers annually through an omni-channel sales strategy combining best-in-class e-commerce capabilities (>60% of revenue) with a highly technical salesforce. The product portfolio comprises >130k SKUs, with a significant long-tail, including technical components, automation, measurement technology, IT and accessories. The Company is headquartered in Manchester, the United Kingdom, and was acquired by AURELIUS in March 2020.

AURELIUS is a pan-European alternative investment firm. The key investment platforms are AURELIUS European Opportunities IV fund and the listed AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE000A0JK2A8, Ticker Symbol: AR4), which specialise in corporate carve-out transactions and acquiring companies with development potential in the mid-market. The investment strategy’s core element is growth of its portfolio companies, supported by a team of almost 100 operating taskforce experts. AURELIUS Equity Opportunities currently holds a portfolio of 22 companies, generating revenues of €3bn in 2022. AURELIUS Group additionally operates in the areas of growth capital, real estate and alternative lending solutions.

RS, founded in 1937, is a leading global omni-channel product and service solutions provider to >1.2m customers worldwide. RS’ product portfolio comprises >700k industrial and electronic products from 2.5k leading suppliers. RS operates in 32 countries and ships 60k parcels daily. RS supports industrial customers throughout the entire product lifecycle, offering tailored solutions to improve productivity, reduce costs and optimise inventory. RS is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Industrial

Distrelec, a portfolio company of AURELIUS, sale to RS