Distributor of industrial automation with exclusive representations of foreign manufacturers

Basic information

The transaction concerns a 100% stake in a company specialising in the import and distribution of industrial automation technology from established foreign manufacturers in the Czech and Slovak markets. The company has been operating for more than 30 years and over that time has built the position of a stable and respected supplier of industrial automation components.

The core of the business is the exclusive distribution of products from leading foreign manufacturers of operator panels (HMI), programmable logic controllers (PLC), industrial computers, industrial communication components, power supplies and sensors. The portfolio covers the complete needs of industrial automation, from control through visualisation to data acquisition. The company has cooperated with its key suppliers for 20 to 30 years, and with the most important of them it holds a written exclusive distribution agreement for the Czech market, which is regularly renewed. These long-term partnerships represent the company’s main intangible value and a high barrier to entry for competitors.

Typical customers are companies deploying automation technology, manufacturers of single-purpose machines and wholesalers across industries ranging from manufacturing through transport to energy. The company serves approximately 600 active customers, none of which is dominant – the ten largest customers account for only 24% of turnover. New customers are acquired through trade fairs, online advertising, newsletters and work with the company’s own contact database. The offer also includes in-house technical support with specialists, complete documentation and a software library, which increases customer loyalty.

The company’s performance is exceptionally profitable and stable. Revenues are around CZK 49 million per year and normalised EBITDA reaches over CZK 16 million, corresponding to an EBITDA margin above 30% – significantly above the industry standard for distribution companies. The company is entirely free of bank debt and leasing; all business activity is financed from its own resources.

The reason for the sale is the age of the partners – the company is doing well and the owners consider the present a suitable time to hand it over to a successor. The opportunity is attractive in particular to strategic buyers in electrical engineering, industrial automation or component distribution who can build on the exclusive supplier partnerships, as well as to financial investors seeking a stable and highly profitable business.