Company Rescues and Turnarounds

When looking at a company in difficulties we assess whether it is (or could be) viable if the current problems are dealt with. We have been known to suggest that some are put out of their misery!

Often they are living with problems from the past and financial restructuring is required. We have many creative ways of achieving this.

It is never too late. We had a meeting at 2.00 p.m. on a Friday with a company that made medical equipment. They were going to close the doors that night. We came up with a rescue plan that afternoon, put the company through a CVA to save it and turned it around. The two principals would have lost their houses and been made personally bankrupt due to bank guarantees. Their children were in private schools. Their whole lifestyle was saved. (references available)

Recent Assignments

Train maintenance company, 150 staff, £15m turnover .

£200,000 per month loss to break even in four months.

Graham Williams was parachuted in as Interim M.D. of a company in disastrous circumstances. The rescue involved negotiating a new lease, mediating and settling litigation, re-negotiating major contracts and gaining new business. On the financial front, some assets were sold and financing re-structured. He resolved problems with heavy equipment thereby generating income, finally re-structuring the management team and recruiting the new M.D.

Aerospace Engineering Company 50 staff, £5m turnover.

£100,000 per month loss to profit in four months.

This involved working around very difficult owners, re-organising working practices and resolving staff issues. We built a new sales team and won new contracts. They continued to win new business after we left.

Retail Tractor Company 75 staff, £20m turnover, family run.

Saved from receivership to leave a smaller but sound business.

By negotiating a new deal with their main suppliers, closing loss making depots, liquidation of assets and a financial re-structure we returned the company to a viable entity. Resolution of family management and succession was also a key issue.

Car Component Manufacturer.

Eight fold increase in sales.

Mentoring and coaching of the management together with marketing their products more widely took this small company to the next level.

General Engineering Company.

This was run by a third generation owner who had been there for three years and could not cope. Graham Williams took over as interim MD whilst he took a break. Replacement and retraining of staff, installing a marketing plan, and generating not only more sales but much more profitable ones were the key areas of change in bringing this company back to profit.