Join the United Capital group

We buy profitable companies led by high-performing management teams, and then help you take your business to the next level of success

Selling your business is a once in a lifetime decision. You’ve spent decades serving customers, increasing turnover, and investing in employees, so you need to know that selling is the right thing to do for everyone involved.

You can trust that United Capital’s ethos is to help your successful business reach its full potential under your existing management team, and with our support. Operationally, your business remains yours to run, but the United Capital board, with its combined 200 years+ of experience, will help you make the big decisions required to take you to the next level of success.

We support our group companies by providing support in core areas of your business, such as;

  • Transitioning to sustainability

  • HR advice and support

  • First-class legal advice

  • IT systems support

  • Marketing for your business

  • Business development support

  • Better procurement processes

  • Compliance advice

Join the United Capital group

We buy profitable companies led by high-performing management teams, and then take your business to the next level of success

Selling your business is a once in a lifetime decision. You’ve spent decades serving customers, increasing turnover, and investing in employees, so you need to know that selling is the right thing to do for everyone involved.

You can trust that United Capital’s ethos is to help your successful business reach its full potential under your existing management team, and with our support. Operationally, your business remains yours to run, but the United Capital board, with its combined 200 years+ of experience, will help you make the big decisions required to take you to the next level of success.

We support our group companies by providing support in core areas of your business, such as;

  • Transitioning to sustainability

  • HR advice and support

  • First-class legal advice

  • IT systems support

  • Marketing for your business

  • Business development support

  • Better procurement processes

  • Compliance advice

The benefits

We’ve got ambitious growth plans and we’re moving quickly towards meeting some huge goals. We buy successful companies then invest in them to improve growth and profitability – that’s it.

Some of that is – of course – financial investment, but we also invest our expertise and support where your company needs it most. All of our companies have as much access as they need to our in-house bank of experts and support functions. As well as this, business leaders also benefit from regular meetings with other leaders on the Operations Board. This peer network is an invaluable resource for problem sharing, building innovative solutions, or collaborating on large projects or public tenders.

Our purpose is to expand the United Capital group, not to manage our group companies in a hands-on way. That’s why we’re different – we trust your management team to run your successful business, and are on hand to offer support where it’s needed.

The benefits

We’ve got ambitious growth plans and we’re moving quickly towards meeting some huge goals. We buy successful companies then invest in them to improve growth and profitability – that’s it.

Some of that is – of course – financial investment, but we also invest our expertise and support where your company needs it most. All of our companies have as much access as they need to our in-house bank of experts and support functions. As well as this, business leaders also benefit from regular meetings with other leaders on the Operations Board. This peer network is an invaluable resource for problem sharing, building innovative solutions, or collaborating on large projects or public tenders.

Our purpose is to expand the United Capital group, not to manage our group companies in a hands-on way. That’s why we’re different – we trust your management team to run your successful business, and are on hand to offer support where it’s needed.

The criteria

We’re actively acquiring successful, well-managed, profitable companies in the building services industry, which are ready to pivot, or currently transitioning, to focus on delivery of renewables and decarbonising the existing built environment. Whether you’re looking to sell because you’re ready to step away, or want to stay on in your leadership role to grow the company further, these are the criteria we look at when deciding if a business is right for United Capital.

To meet our criteria your business:

Is in the building services or built environment sector

Has a strong, talented management team

Has an annual turnover of
£10-£70 million

Can demonstrate a profitable pipeline

Currently delivers large-scale public sector contracts

Wants support to transition to sustainability

While we don’t acquire companies in distress, it’s got to be acknowledged that most companies are facing some sort of difficulties right now. If you’ve got profitable work in the pipeline, we’re interested in having a conversation.

If you think your company meets the criteria, contact us today.

The deal

Firstly, let’s be clear: if you approach us we’ll treat your enquiry with the strictest confidence.  Alternatively, if we think your business is right for the group we might approach you, and at this early stage we’ll have a discussion to be sure we’re a good fit for each other.

If your company doesn’t quite fit with what we’re looking for that’s ok, and we’ll quickly let you know that, so you can move on in your journey to find a buyer.

If early conversations show we’re a good fit we’ll move ahead, assessing your business across a range of factors, i.e.

  • financial situation
  • management team
  • risk assessment
  • pipeline of work

We’d then be at the stage of agreeing a deal that’s both competitive and realistic in terms of the current market conditions. After that it’s onto the legal part of the process, which can take some time to work through on both sides.

When the deal is right, we won’t mess around. We act quickly to bring the right companies into the group. Every deal is looked at and assessed on a deal by deal basis. We finance deals by deploying funds available through a combination of family offices, HNWIs, commercial debt, existing shareholder funds and private monies.

The deal

Firstly, let’s be clear: if you approach us we’ll treat your enquiry with the strictest confidence.  Alternatively, if we think your business is right for the group we might approach you, and at this early stage we’ll have a discussion to be sure we’re a good fit for each other.

If your company doesn’t quite fit with what we’re looking for that’s ok, and we’ll quickly let you know that, so you can move on in your journey to find a buyer.

If early conversations show we’re a good fit we’ll move ahead, assessing your business across a range of factors, i.e.

  • financial situation
  • management team
  • risk assessment
  • pipeline of work

We’d then be at the stage of agreeing a deal that’s both competitive and realistic in terms of the current market conditions. After that it’s onto the legal part of the process, which can take some time to work through on both sides.

When the deal is right, we won’t mess around. We act quickly to bring the right companies into the group.

The detail

United Capital’s experienced executive board has made 1000’s of deals over the past few decades. That means we have an unmatched wealth of expertise in making deals that work for everyone involved. When you deal with us we’ll be honest and decisive; we don’t have time to mess around and we assume you don’t either.

If you have questions, it’s likely they’ll be answered below, but if not get in touch and we’ll have a conversation.

Our strategy is buying successful companies and supporting them to become even more profitable. We want your business to realise its potential through our investment and support; our experienced board will support you to make the tough decisions required to take your business to the next level. Should you want to step out of the business, we’ll work with you to provide continuity during a handover period.

If we have already had a discussion but you just weren’t ready to sell, the door is still open. We are always in the business of buying profitable, well-managed companies, and if the timing is right for us to make a deal, we’re keen to talk. Pick up the phone to us!

There’s no set answer to this. United Capital moves fast when the deal looks right, but the deal process itself takes time. For example, many companies need time to gather the information we require; the legalities of completing the deal can also be complex and time consuming.

Our advice is – don’t delay. If you’re considering selling your business, start the process today. If you are looking to retire in the next few years, now is the time to begin conversations. Get in touch while your business remains profitable and we’ll decide quickly if it’s a natural fit for the group.

The short answer is yes. When we want to acquire a successful company we’ll be happy to build a package that’s right for you and for us. That could mean there’s a staggered transition over the next few years; or it could mean you want to step back immediately and hand over the reins to your competent management team. No deal is exactly like any other deal, and we’re open to ideas! Talk to us honestly about what would work for you, and we’ll consider if it works for us too.

Yes. When we buy a business we do so because it’s reached a certain level of success – and you, as the leader, are a critical component of that. Many sellers want to stay in position and become part of the United Capital Operations Board; others are seeking an opportunity to expand their role, perhaps to regional management level. We’d encourage that approach if you’re looking to future-proof your business through selling, but still have that passion to grow your company to the next level.

Of course, if you do want to step away, we’ll look to make sure there’s a competent management team in place, and ask for a handover period that will ensure continuity for your customers and employees.

Absolutely! We hold ourselves to account, so we’ll ask the same of you. Being part of a bigger group means that you’ll be held accountable for the growth and success of your business, but our in-house experts will support you if this is a new and unfamiliar processes. By constantly assessing the business, we can put the right growth strategies in place to help your company reach its full potential.

Ready to talk?

We know that selling the business you’ve built is a once in a lifetime decision, and there’s a lot to consider.

United Capital is in full acquisition mode and seeking to bring new companies on board. If you think you meet the criteria, and want to have a confidential conversation about what a deal might look like, we’d love to talk to you.

Ready to talk?

We know that selling the business you’ve built is a once in a lifetime decision, and there’s a lot to consider.

United Capital is in full acquisition mode and seeking to bring new companies on board. If you think you meet the criteria, and want to have a confidential conversation about what a deal might look like, we’d love to talk to you.