Pan-European private equity player Waterland is on a mission to drive the growth and expansion of Irish businesses.
Waterland has confirmed a commitment of up to €150m to accelerate the growth and expansion of Irish businesses over the next 12 to 18 months.
The investment will provide ambitious companies with the strategic backing needed to scale their operations across Europe and globally, while maintaining their headquarters in Ireland.
“We see immense potential in the Irish market and are dedicated to supporting companies with strong growth ambitions”
This announcement comes as the firm hits a milestone of €600m in revenue generated across its growing portfolio of partnerships.
Since launching in Ireland in 2019, Waterland has created 30 portfolio partnerships, with the wider group now employing over 3,500 people – an additional 1,500 employees over the last 18 months alone.
The scale of the opportunity is enormous for Irish SMEs
“We see immense potential in the Irish market and are dedicated to supporting companies with strong growth ambitions,” said Laura Dillon, Partner at Waterland Ireland.
“This commitment reinforces our belief in the strength and innovation of Irish businesses. We are excited to partner with entrepreneurs and management teams to help them scale and achieve their international growth aspirations.”
Waterland typically invests in successful companies generating between €5m and €50m in EBITDA, providing both capital and strategic support necessary to accelerate their entry into new export markets.
Significant investments over the last five years include Writech, a fire protection, detection and maintenance firm that has expanded across Europe and recently completed its 10th deal in three years with the acquisition of Safety Tech Fire.
Net Zero Group, now Ireland’s largest decarbonisation group, has made five strategic acquisitions since its formation in late 2023.
Other notable deals include MTM Engineering, which recently announced 200 new jobs as it moved into its new headquarters in Slane, Co Meath, while acquiring four companies in related sectors.
Waterland also partnered with Bellew Electrical, one of Ireland’s largest independent electrical wholesalers, which has acquired two companies in recent months. Through Silver Stream, one of Ireland’s leading care homes, Waterland supported the recent launch of Sugarloaf Care Centre, expanding the group to 12 homes with four new additions over the last two years.
Founded in 1999, Waterland is an independent European private equity group that currently manages over €15 billion in investor commitments.
The firm has grown to over 200 professionals operating across 13 offices in 11 countries, with a strong track record of partnering with high-growth companies to drive long-term success.
Main image: Laura Dillon (centre) and the Waterland Ireland team
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