Project Stories

We are a special situations investor; no two investments are the same

WN VTech

(previously Woodall Nicholson)

WN VTech is a designer and manufacturer of a range of specialist vehicles based on mass produced chassis from major OEMs. Today the business is the UK market leader in its niche markets targeted across its three divisions: Buses, Ceremonial and Blue Light.

Hereford Contract Canning

 

Hereford Contract Canning (HCC) is a leading independent third-party canning business, providing beverage mixing and canning services to some of the largest consumer brands and own label suppliers in the UK.  The company was established in 2009 by vendors who needed their own in-house canning operation …

Armitage Pet Care

 

Armitage is the largest independent supplier of pet treats and accessories in the UK.  The business has a number of brands with the most significant being “Good Boy”, a leading premium dog treats brand.  Good Boy is focussed on premium natural dog treats.

Aston Barclay

Aston Barclay

 

Aston Barclay is the UK’s leading independent car auction group and is leading the remarketing sector in digital innovation.  With an established market reputation for high levels of customer service it provides vehicle remarketing services to fleet and dealership vendors.

Omar Group

Omar Group

 

Omar is in the enviable position of being one of the UK’s foremost designers and manufacturers of park homes and luxury lodges, setting industry standards for quality, design and innovation.  Rutland saw the potential in the Omar Group, committing to expanding the business’ capacity.

AFI Group

 

Rutland’s triple acquisition of AFI-Uplift, Hi-Reach and ARG in the Middle East, now under a common ownership structure with AFI for the first time, cemented AFI’s position as a leading operator in the powered access rental market and created an enlarged group that was well placed for further growth.

Brandon Hire

 

Brandon Hire is a leading UK tool and equipment hire company employing over 900 people, which operates across more than 140 branches throughout England, Scotland and Wales. The complex carve out of the business from Wolseley plc took some 18 months to complete.

Pizza Hut

 

Pizza Hut Restaurants has operated in the UK for over 40 years, opening its first restaurant in 1973. With nearly 270 restaurants across the UK employing more than 8,000 people it represented a scale opportunity with a management team that had a passion to rejuvenate the brand.

Millbrook

Millbrook

 

Millbrook is a leading facility servicing a broad range of UK and international customers and end markets and is one of Europe’s leading test, validation and engineering service providers for the automotive, transport, tyre, petrochemical, security and defence markets.

CeDo

CeDo

 

CeDo is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of household disposable products including refuse sacs, aluminium foil and cling film. The business has a strong market share through its relationships with the majority of Europe’s largest supermarkets and discounters.

Attends Healthcare

Attends Healthcare

 

Attends Healthcare is a leading player in its market and very well respected for technical excellence. But it was in grave danger of being left behind by a dynamic and fast changing market.  Demand was moving from an institutional customer base to a retail and pharmacy market.

Edinburgh Woollen Mill

Edinburgh Woollen Mill

 

When Rutland acquired Edinburgh Woollen Mills (EWM) in 2001 retail was an unfashionable sector for financial buyers and no more so than clothing for the over 50s.  As an unloved subsidiary of Grampain Holdings with a poor recent trading record EWM fit Rutland’s criteria perfectly.

Pulse Home Products

Pulse Home Products

 

Pulse Home Products (Pulse) was one of the leading providers of branded goods to the UK home products market, most notably under the Breville name.  Pulse’s products were designed and engineered in the UK, then manufactured by third parties in China.

Notemachine

NoteMachine

 

NoteMachine is one of the largest ATM networks in the UK with over 8,000 machines across the country and is the number one independent ATM business in Europe.  NoteMachine’s ATMs can be found in many locations, including supermarkets, convenience stores and leisure centres.

Advantage Healthcare

Advantage Heathcare

 

On exit Advantage Healthcare was a leading UK provider of home healthcare and healthcare staffing services with a network of 27 branches and a large database of healthcare workers.  The business worked with Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), insurers and private individuals.

H&T Pawnbrokers

H&T Pawnbrokers

 

When Rutland bought the UK’s largest pawnbroker, H&T, from US company, Cash American, it found a business that was definitely not making the most of its potential.  The conclusion, after a thorough examination of this 50 branch UK pawnbroking business, was profitable but could do better!

Carron Energy

Carron Energy

 

Rutland was the first private equity firm in Britain to invest in a power station.  Uskmouth, de-commissioned in 1995, was refurbished by US utility company AES with a £120m investment intended to give it a 25-year life extension.  But technical difficulties delayed re-commissioning.

Interfloor

Interfloor

 

Rutland formed the business Interfloor in 2002 through an SBO-IBO deal buying two rival UK underlay businesses both struggling in a tough retail market.  The key to making this Europe’s largest and most successful underlay business lay in creating a new can-do culture.