Livingstone advises Equistone portfolio company Amadys on the acquisition of tso GmbH

Livingstone advised Amadys N.V., a Belgium-based portfolio company of Equistone Partners Europe, on the add-on acquisition of tso GmbH. The acquisition allows Amadys to establish its initial market presence in Germany.

Amadys, headquartered in Brussels, is a leading provider of passive network equipment solutions for utility infrastructures in the Benelux region. The company supplies a broad range of products for utility networks, focusing on the telecommunications, water, gas and electricity sectors and general industrial businesses. Funds advised by Equistone, together with the management, acquired Amadys in December 2019.

Founded in 2000 and based in Halver in the western part of North Rhine-Westphalia, tso GmbH is an authorized distributor for market-leading manufacturers, offering splicing and measurement equipment as tools for the construction, certification, and troubleshooting of communication networks. Besides delivering all critical components required for broadband expansion, the company provides equipment maintenance and repair services and individual training courses, and equipment training at the in-house tso Academy. Together with Amadys, the company’s product and service offering is set to be broadened, enabling tso to develop into a full-service partner to telecom clients in the DACH region, particularly to parties involved in the FttH (Fibre to the Home) rollout. The company’s founder, Arthur Graevendiek, will re-invest in the Amadys Group and remain as CEO to support the development in the German market.

The acquisition of tso marks an important step in Amadys’ growth strategy, which includes a burgeoning expansion in Germany and a continued focus on globalization as the company looks to serve international telecom clients in multiple countries.

Equistone Investment Manager Tanja Berg commented: “We are delighted to see the progress made along Amadys’ strategic growth path over the past year. This latest acquisition with the launch of a presence in Germany – where we see great potential for the business, especially with the ongoing expansion of communications networks here – represents an exciting new milestone.”

“Having tso GmbH on board will give us an important foothold in Germany,” added Amadys CEO Hein Wilderjans. “Our new tso colleagues offer outstanding expertise that will strengthen our overall offering in the attractive and growing German market for fiber optic communications infrastructure and technical support.”

Founder and tso CEO Arthur Graevendiek added: “I very much look forward to driving the company’s further growth with the additional advantage of being part of the larger Amadys Group and with the backing of a strong and supportive private equity partner.”

“With the acquisition of tso GmbH led by Mr. Graevendiek, Amadys was able to take a first step into the fast-growing German market. We are pleased to have been able to contribute our expertise in the broadband sector in advising the management of Amadys as well as Equistone,” added Christian Grandin, Partner at Livingstone Düsseldorf.

The acquisition of tso GmbH is the tenth transaction in the fiber-optic space that Livingstone has advised on in the last 24 months.