Provantage Corporate Finance acted as lead advisor, providing strategic advice and engaging a range of specialist advisors to achieve a successful outcome for the shareholders

The combined group will be well-positioned to support its impressive client base of major infrastructure asset owners, tier 1 contractors and public sector bodies through an enhanced range of services. The acquisition significantly expands SOCOTEC’s capabilities in bridge engineering and structural inspection, while enabling Inertia to benefit from greater resources, expertise and growth opportunities

Dave Roome, Co-Group Director and Founding Shareholder of Inertia commented “For a business owner, selling initially feels like attempting the first moon landing. All I had known for 20 years was the business, and the fear and excitement of getting to the sale was overwhelming. We put our trust in the team at Provantage to help us navigate this challenging process and they delivered in every aspect with a personal touch. From initial contact through to popping the champagne cork they were there for us every moment, night and day. I cannot thank the Provantage team enough for everything they have done for us at Inertia Consulting.”

Ryan Bradley, Co-Group Director of Inertia commented “Selling our company was one of the most important decisions we’ve made during our 20 years in business, having the right advisers was critical for us.  The Provantage team performed faultlessly throughout.  Their combined technical expertise came through in every way, they also had a highly personal approach, taking the time to understand our goals and guide us through every step. Their dedication and professionalism exceeded our expectations, and we are delighted with the result achieved”

Andy Shepherd of Provantage added “Dave and Ryan have built something truly special at Inertia and it was a privilege to work with them on achieving such a fantastic outcome. From the very first conversations it was clear that the right partner needed to understand not only the engineering side of the business but also the unwavering commitment to enhancing the culture and experiences of all stakeholders engaging with the company. Thankfully, SOCOTEC delivered just that and I’m confident that Inertia is well positioned as it transitions into this exciting next stage of its journey”

Maria Thomas of Provantage added “The testing, inspection, certification and compliance market remains one of the most active areas of UK M&A with specialists supporting our ageing bridge, highways and rail infrastructure firmly in demand as long-term public investment continues to flow into the sector. Inertia’s specialist bridge engineering and inspection capability made it a natural fit for SOCOTEC’s strategy and commitment in this area.”