Clarke Willmott acts on sale of precision engineering firm

Our Corporate team advised on the sale of Aldershot, Hampshire-based, F T Gearing Systems which supplies high precision geared components to the aerospace and defence sector.

Clarke Willmott acted for sellers, brothers, CEO Graham and managing director Nigel Fitzgerald, on the acquisition by G S Precision, Inc, a portfolio company of AE Industrial Partners, a US based private equity firm.

“It was a delight to work with the brothers who showed devotion to their firm. It was apparent from the outset that Graham and Nigel were keen to secure the company’s and its employees’ futures,” said Birmingham office-based corporate partner, Kim Klahn.

The family firm, founded by sellers’ father more than 40 years ago, supplies high precision geared components ranging from small gears for fuel management actuators and reverse thrust systems to larger gears for jet engine fuel pumps.

“Kim and her team were a pleasure to deal with and were exceptional in guiding and helping us through the legal process of the sale and kept the momentum going throughout with a tireless around the clock work ethic compounded by the time zone differences of all the parties involved,” said Graham Fitzgerald.

“Personally I believe these very complex processes involve a business owner to make probably the hardest and the most emotional decisions of their career, so I would strongly recommend any business owner to use Kim and her team as this does need the personal touch as well and Kim held us all together!”

FT Gearing’s head office is a purpose-built factory with seven satellite facilities nearby, each offering cellular manufacturing and QA support.