Sovereign commits £20 million to Health, Safety and Environmental Buy & Build

Sovereign Capital, the UK private equity Buy & Build specialist, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Sypol Limited ("Sypol"), a leading provider of health, safety and environmental risk management services. 

Founded in 1979, Aylesbury based Sypol assists its 600-strong client base in identifying, managing and controlling their exposure to risk, complying with legislation and improving their business performance.  Sypol is the UK market leader in the provision of occupational hygiene consultancy and over the past 18 years has developed unique management systems which help clients, ranging from NHS trusts to petrochemical firms, to monitor, assess and control their exposure to hazardous substances.

Sovereign has known Sypol for over a year and has worked with the management and vendors on the transaction on an exclusive basis. Lawrence Waterman and Karen Baxter, both highly regarded industry experts, will remain with Sypol and be joined by John Pettifor as Executive Chairman and a new Finance Director.

Operating throughout the UK and Ireland, Sypol's 50 staff support a loyal, blue-chip customer base, advising clients including Kew Gardens, E.ON, Deutsche Bank, Total and United Biscuits across a broad range of industry sectors.

Sypol operates in a highly fragmented market, ideally suited to Sovereign's award-winning Buy & Build strategy.  Sovereign will support Sypol with follow-on funding to grow and develop the business by acquisition and service diversification within the growing compliance services market.

Commenting on the transaction, Phil Hinson, Director, Sovereign Capital said: "We are extremely pleased to have completed the acquisition of Sypol and to be working with such leading authorities in the health & safety sector to grow and develop the business.  The increasing emphasis on corporate reputation and the wellbeing of employees, combined with the proliferation of legislation, create an ideal backdrop for future growth."

Karen Baxter, Managing Director, Sypol added: "We are looking forward to working with Sovereign to take advantage of the market opportunities available and, with their backing, take the business to its next level of growth."

Sovereign is currently assessing a number of complementary risk management, compliance and occupational health services businesses to further expand Sypol's service offering.