Category: 2013

PressureFab Group, a supplier of transport and development equipment for the offshore oil and gas industry, has completed the acquisition of Arbroath stainless steel manufacturer RT Metal Services Limited.

RT Metal Services is a sheet metal fabrication company, that has over 30 years’ experience in delivering products of the highest quality to a loyal customer base, including well established blue chip companies.

This acquisition will form part of the company’s growth strategy and comes at a time when PressureFab has just been named as Manufacturing Business of the Year and Growth Business of the Year, while Hermann Twickler, PressureFab’s Managing Director, has been named Business Leader of the Year at the 2013 Courier Business Awards.

DC Consulting assisted in all aspects of this transaction and continues to advise the PressureFab Group with it’s overall strategic and financial direction.

Synpromics Limited, the synthetic promoter company, announces an important collaboration with Dow AgroSciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), to develop Synpromics’ proprietary technology for application in plant science. An initial proof of concept project with Dow AgroSciences has commenced to demonstrate the application of Synpromics’ synthetic promoter technology in certain crops.

David Lawrence, Chairman of Synpromics, commented, “This is an important deal for the company that validates the potential value to industry of our proprietary technology. For a start-up such as Synpromics to establish this collaboration with a leading multinational is an exceptional achievement. It is also notable that this is the first time that Dow AgroSciences has partnered with a company in Scotland. Attracting the attention of Dow AgroSciences and other partners with whom we are in dialogue augurs well for the future of the company. Therefore I am extremely proud of our team. I would also like to thank Scottish Enterprise for making the initial introductions to Dow AgroSciences as well as their support during the company’s start-up phase.”

Goodmark Medical International Ltd, a Scottish technology start-up, is to create at least 20 new jobs over the next two years after securing £200,000 of Regional Selective Assistance Grant.

Goodmark are based at the technology incubator, TechCube, in Edinburgh and they specialise in developing software solutions for healthcare diagnostics and testing in doctors’ surgeries. The management team are looking to launch their RelayMed product in 2014.

RelayMed is a cloud-based software that aims to reduce healthcare workloads and costs by helping to move more tests from traditional hospital laboratory settings into GP offices. It works by capturing and storing data from point-of-care devices and transferring that information into electronic health records. Goodmark managing director Neil Farish said: “We want to ensure patients receive a higher quality of care and we passionately believe in our solution to make and empower a real improvement to their life. The funding we have secured has helped us build strong foundations and create an exciting team to start to address the needs of this growing market.”

The company has been established with the support of its parent company Goodmark Medical LLC in Florida, which is looking to enhance its product offering, utilising the skill set of the Executive and development team in Edinburgh.

DC Consulting were delighted to assist Goodmark throughout the RSA Grant Application process which has helped to attract inward investment into Scotland from the US based parent company.

Network 90 is a premium, invitation only, private members networking website for professional sports and entertainment industry, founded by Luis Figo and Luke Donald.

In July 2013, angel syndicate ESM Investments completed a £200,000 funding round, together with the Scottish Co-Investment Fund.

Network 90 offers a gathering place and highly valuable networking opportunities for a global community that cannot, due to its high public profile, easily benefit from other open social platforms. In addition, it provides bespoke tools to enhance the business operations of each sport. The service has already surpassed 3,000 members, thriving on organic growth and private email invitations. Agents & clubs swap information and trade daily on Network 90, where there are currently over 270 players active on the live transfer list.

The platform and business is highly scalable, and in 2014 golf will launch with Luke Donald, followed by F1 and the major US sports.

Further details can be found at www.network90.com

In preparation for the current owner Maurice McKay’s pending retirement, Muirfield Contracts Limited has been acquired by Azure Investments. Founded in 1999, Azure is a Private Equity group with a diverse portfolio of investments. Their acquisition of Muirfield permits an entry into the construction sector at a senior level and Muirfield’s reputation for quality and stringent control fits well within Azures philosophy.

Dundee based Muirfield Group is one of the leading privately owned construction businesses operating throughout Scotland and provides discerning Clients with a full construction package across all sectors of the property and construction market.

Founded by Maurice McKay, FRICS, FCIOB and former colleague Jim Ross in 1988, Muirfield celebrates their 25th Anniversary this year. The company have enjoyed unparalleled, consistent, and controlled growth by satisfying Client’s requirements through understanding their needs and delivering high quality and cost effective solutions. This growth has been achieved by ensuring complete customer satisfaction and continuous improvement in a high level of repeat business from satisfied client’s who remain loyal.

A key stage of the acquisition process is the succession and transition in leadership from the current managing director Maurice McKay. It is therefore with great confidence Azure announce with immediate effect the appointment of Lindsay Cowan as the Company’s new managing director. Lindsay will work alongside Maurice during the transition period and will be fully supported by the existing Muirfield management team which remains unchanged.

Lindsay is an experienced construction professional and is a much respected local individual, an ideal successor to Maurice. He previously led the management team of Mansell Tayside & Fife as Regional Managing Director. Under his leadership, that team consistently delivered high quality projects and achieved extremely high levels of customer satisfaction very similar to the Muirfield ethos.

Maurice will hold the position as Joint-Chairman of the Company along with John Stodart, Chairman of Azure (www.azureinvestmentgroup.com)