Management buyout means it’s business at usual for Sanderson

Following the deal, the Huddersfield-based firm will be headed up by John Womersley, who has worked with the company for 26 years.

Mr Womersley will take up the position of managing director.

His wife, Donna, will become the group’s company secretary.

The couple have bought shares in Sanderson from former managing director Richard Davenport.

Having worked at Sanderson since he was 15, Mr Davenport has now retired, but will continue to advise the business on a consultancy basis.

The firm said that the handover is part of a long-term plan for Mr Womersley to take over the business upon Mr Davenport’s retirement.

Mr Womersley said: “Having spent most of my working
life at Sanderson Precision Engineering, I know the business inside out and see this move
as a great opportunity to build
on the company’s 60-year heritage.

“It will be very much business as usual for customers and staff. With a solid reputation as one of the leaders in precision engineering, I will be continuing to invest in plant, equipment, technology and personnel in order to maintain our market position and grow the business.”

The group, which made an annual turnover of £1.1m last year, employs 17 people at its headquarters at Wellington Works in Lindley, where it makes precision machined components.

Mr Davenport said: “It is great news for everyone involved that the business is in John’s capable hands.

“I am confident that he will continue to build on its solid foundations and take the company forward, and I give my best wishes to John for the future.”

The seven figure management buy-out was carried out with funding from Santander Corporate & Commercial.

The company was founded in 1954 by Stuart Sanderson.

It was subsequently taken over by Malcolm Binns and Mr Davenport was appointed to run the business in 1999.

The firm started out producing parts for the pharmaceuticals and leisure, oil and gas, and automotive industries and for clients requiring precision engineered components.

The business has a mixture of long standing and new clients.

Mr Womersley said that Sanderson is winning new business through its reputation, the quality of its products and as a consequence of good customer relationships.

The group works across a number of disciplines.

It manufactures the parts that make up the framework of mountain bikes for the outdoor leisure industry.

It also makes a range of engineering teaching equipment to demonstrate the principles of mechanical mechanisms, automotive mechanisms and theory of machines for education and research purposes.

In the pharmaceutical industry it manufactures components that form part of the machinery that produces high quality tablet presses and coaters.

The multi-million pound
deal was handled by a team
of Yorkshire advisers including Jonathan Simms, partner in 
Clarion’s corporate team in
Leeds, who advised the company’s management on the transaction.

Ian Parsons, of Parsons & Co chartered accountants in Wakefield, structured the deal.

Linda Greenwood of Santander Corporate & Commercial provided the funding.

Ms Greenwood said: “We are delighted to be involved in a management buyout to an in-house successor, who has spent his career at the business.

“Sanderson Precision Engineering is a strong business with
an experienced management team and we look forward to
continuing to support the
business as it develops in the future.”

Santander Corporate & Commercial provides relationship banking support to businesses with a turnover of more than £250,000. It is part of Santander UK, the British arm of the Spanish bank.

Mr Simms, of Clarion, said: “It’s satisfying to support such a well-established Yorkshire company to reach another key milestone in its development.

“The business has established a first rate reputation in this niche sector and with such an experienced management team at the helm it will, no doubt, continue to prosper.”

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