Trescal

Country: France

Region: Île-de-France

Investors: 3i

When 3i invested in Trescal in 2010, it saw a growing market for calibration and maintenance services in industries using complex machinery, and also spotted the company’s capacity to lead consolidation in the sector.

3i supported the acquisitions of businesses in Austria, the Netherlands, UK and US, and established in a new lab in Singapore. It also increased sales and profit margins through productivity improvements and better management of the company’s sales force and key global clients. As a result, Trescal grew twice as fast as its market, increasing sales by over 40% and more than doubling profits in the space of three years. 3i sold Trescal in 2013, at which point staff numbers had risen by 300 to over 1,500.

Olivier Delrieu

CEO - Trescal

We made acquisitions we could never have achieved if we’d had any other shareholder than 3i.

>40%

increase in sales over three years to €157m

15%

non-EU sales from zero

What did the business need?

Capital to grow
Strategic guidance to become a leader in the calibration field
Strengthened sales processes and improved management of key customers
More efficient and tighter financial management
Global reach and experience

How did private equity backing create lasting value?

Supported acquisition of businesses in the US and Europe
Established Trescal in Asia through new office opening
Drove consolidation in key Benelux markets
Improved sales and account management to boost sales
Improved cost efficiency through scale and greater automation

What outcomes did private equity investment achieve?

Increased sales by over 40% to €157m
Transformed Trescal into a global company with operations in Asia, Europe and North America
Grew non-EU sales from 0% to approx. 15% during the investment
Increased job numbers by 300 (to over 1,500 staff
Grew from 50 to 60 laboratories across 16 countries