January 25, 2022
Sofindev has reached an agreement with Danny De Bruyn and Rudy Lemeire on a partnership and entry into the capital of Delta Engineering Group. Danny De Bruyn and Rudy Lemeire remain shareholders and will continue to be responsible for the day-to-day management of Delta Engineering as managing directors.
Through the strategic partnership with Sofindev, Delta Engineering is preparing to continue its strong growth trajectory of recent years, as a leading player in the automation of the plastic packaging sector through the design and manufacture of specialised downstream equipment for the blow moulding industry. With this partnership, we aim to further strengthen Delta Engineering’s position in the global market, among other things by further deepening and broadening the range of products and by focusing on new sustainable technologies, such as plasma coating. In addition, efforts are being made to broaden the customer portfolio, as well as a selective acquisition strategy.
About Delta Engineering
Delta Engineering was founded in 1992 by Danny De Bruyn and Rudy Lemeire and developed over the years into a global, leading player in the design and manufacture of machinery for the blow moulding industry. Under the leadership of Danny De Bruyn and Rudy Lemeire, the new production site in Romania was started up in 2011 and operations in the United States were set up in 2012. Including the head office in Ophasselt, Belgium, Delta Engineering has 3 branches worldwide: in Belgium (research & development, production, sales and service), Romania (production) and the USA (sales & service), and employs about 200 people.
Delta Engineering offers a wide range of machines that are used after the blow moulding process. These machines have applications in quality control, packaging, unscrambling, finishing and conveying, among other things. Through this wide range of high-quality machinery, Delta Engineering can offer its customers automation solutions to achieve efficiency improvements and increase quality.
In addition, Delta Engineering is very strongly committed to the development and innovation of new processes, systems and machines, such as plasma coaters, an important innovation within the world of plastics. This process allows the production of packaging for finished products with high requirements for material properties, which at the same time guarantees a high degree of recyclability by using fewer (different) materials.
Delta Application Technics, which is also part of the Delta Engineering Group, designs and manufactures machines for mixing, dosing and applying two or more component, low to high viscosity products. These have a wide range of applications, including, but not limited to, coating and gluing.
The strong focus on quality, innovation, service, delivery speed and reliability and the provision of additional added value are among the reasons for Delta Engineering’s success and growth. The branches in Belgium, the USA and Romania enable Delta Engineering to serve its clients worldwide.
Sofindev’s entry into Delta Engineering Group brings on board a reliable and strong financial and strategic partner to continue the growth and international development of its business activities. The focus will be on expanding the range of solutions and the existing customer base, but strategic acquisitions of complementary companies are also among the possible ways to grow.
Danny De Bruyn and Rudy Lemeire, managing directors Delta Engineering:
“Sofindev’s entry into our capital is a well-considered decision, which is part of our ambition to further grow and professionalise Delta Engineering. Our intention is to further strengthen our range of solutions and sell even more internationally, and this development will provide even more opportunities for our employees. With Sofindev, we are bringing on board a complementary partner who shares the same values as our family business and has a mindset and vision for the future that perfectly matches the current needs and ambitions of our company.”
About Delta Engineering: www.delta-engineering.be
Carlo Daelemans and Jean-Roger de Bandt, partners Sofindev:
“Delta Engineering is a leading player in the downstream blow moulding industry and is known worldwide for its quality, innovativeness and customer orientation. Within an industry that is in full transformation and increasingly committed to automation, but also from an ecological and social point of view, we are convinced that Delta Engineering is excellently positioned. Moreover, with Danny De Bruyn and Rudy Lemeire we have two driven and successful entrepreneurs on board whom we will support with our experience, knowledge and network to further grow Delta Engineering. In this way, together we want to create meaningful value for Delta Engineering’s customers, suppliers, employees and all other stakeholders.”
The investment in Delta Engineering is the seventh investment of the Sofindev V fund, barely two years after it was established in December 2019. Previous investments include IT services group Christiaens (June 2020), decorative sheet material specialist Vanrobaeys (September 2020), media software player MediaGeniX (November 2020), fire safety specialist Altebra (December 2020), digital marketing company Loyals (October 2021) and Foodpartners International, wholesaler for butchers and the wider food (processing) sector (announced in December 2021).
About Sofindev
Sofindev is a leading independent private equity firm specialising in buyout and growth capital for small and medium-sized companies in the Benelux. Sofindev was founded in 1991 by Sofina – controlled by the Boël family – and the Colruyt family. Since then, Sofindev has evolved into a fully independent team and has surrounded itself with a wider range of respected family and (international) institutional investors. These investors include entrepreneurs and owners of family businesses in which Sofindev has invested in the past.
Sofindev funds have invested more than 300 MEUR of capital in over 50 small and medium-sized companies. Currently, the Sofindev Management team manages the Sofindev IV fund (°2015) with a committed capital of 107 MEUR and the Sofindev V fund, which was raised at the end of 2019, with total commitments of 170 MEUR. Like Sofindev IV, Sofindev V realises investments in the capital of successful small and medium-sized companies in the Benelux, in partnership with the entrepreneurs and management teams of these companies, to support their further growth;
More details on our website www.sofindev.com
The shareholders of Delta Engineering were assisted in this transaction by financial advisor MnA and DLPA Lawyers. The buyer was assisted by Argo Law, LDS Advisory and Roland Berger.