26FdeCapital

We buy, build, and grow manufacturers

A family office backing UK manufacturing businesses — protecting what owners built and taking it further, alongside the team that made it.

Request Free Valuation See What We Look For
Buy. Build. Grow.

We back manufacturing businesses across the United Kingdom — and grow them properly, with the people already inside them.

Why FDE Capital

Operators, not observers

We've built it
Scaled a manufacturer from startup to £32m and 180+ people.
Patient capital
Our own money, our own timeline. No 3-year clock.
Team-first
We back the people running the business, not replace them.
Growth engine
Capital, AI systems, and M&A experience to lift value.
What We Look For

Metalworking businesses, £1m–£10m revenue

Fabricators, CNC shops, presswork, powder coaters, building product manufacturers. Good businesses that have hit a ceiling.

Succession
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Succession

You've built something real and there's nobody to take it over. We buy it, back the team, and grow what you started.

Buy and Build
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Buy & Build

We add complementary businesses, bringing outsourced processes in-house so the group keeps the margin.

Growth Partner
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Growth Partner

You know where it needs to go. We bring the capital, systems, and operational support to get it there.

Our Approach

A family office that builds alongside you

We back our own capital, on our own timeline, working with the people already running the business — on the floor, in the meetings, through the problems. We grow it properly and sell only when the time is right for the business and the people in it.

  • Existing team backed and developed
  • Operational improvement before financial engineering
  • No outside management parachuted in
  • Sell when it's right — not on a fund's clock
Our approach
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"If the team doesn't win, the investment doesn't work."
Value Builder

See what your business could be worth

Enterprise value is revenue × margin × multiple — and every one moves when a business is run well. Drag the sliders.

The Numbers
The Quality of the Business
One dominant customerWell spread
Anyone can competeCertified moat
One-off jobsFramework / repeat
Runs on the ownerRuns on the team
Quote to quoteContracted pipeline
Suggested by levers: 4.5×
Estimated Enterprise Value
£0.8m
The levers above set a suggested multiple — better margins, growth, spread, certification, repeat revenue, and a business that runs without its owner all lift what a buyer will pay. Drag the multiple to override.
A Worked Example

The same business, three years apart

A building products manufacturer when we buy it, and after we've grown revenue, lifted margins, tightened reporting, and pulled the other levers.

At Purchase
Revenue£2.0m
EBITDA margin9%
EBITDA£180k
Reporting & systemsManual
Owner dependencyHigh
Valuation multiple4.5×
Enterprise Value£0.8m
After We Build It
Revenue£5.0m
EBITDA margin22%
EBITDA£1.1m
Reporting & systemsAutomated, real-time
Owner dependencyLow — team-led
Valuation multiple7.0×
Enterprise Value£7.7m

Enterprise value moving from £0.8m to £7.7m — not by luck, but by growing revenue, lifting margins, professionalising the reporting, and building a team that runs the business without leaning on one person. The founder's legacy grows. The people who helped build it share in the success, take on bigger roles, and see the company reach its potential. That's what winning together looks like.

Request Your Free Valuation
£32m
Revenue Scaled To
£150m+
Lifetime Revenue
180+
Employees Managed
Multiple
Countries
15
Years in Manufacturing
Matt, Founder
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About

The Principal

Matt built a UK building products manufacturer from startup to £30m+ revenue and 170+ employees across two countries — working hands-on with Amada, Trumpf, Bystronic, Salvagnini, and Wagner coating systems, and leading a formal M&A process with global acquirers.

FDE Capital was established in 2026 to do it again — buy manufacturing businesses across the UK and build them properly.

Mission, Vision & Values

What we stand for

Mission

Acquire and grow manufacturing businesses across the United Kingdom. Build alongside existing teams, not instead of them.

Vision

The partner of choice for UK manufacturing owners looking for the right next chapter.

Operators, Not Observers

We've built factories, not just funded them.

Everyone Wins

If the team doesn't benefit, it doesn't work.

People, Not Positions

We promote from within.

Substance Over Speed

Move fast, but never at the cost of doing it right.

Precision in Everything

From CNC tolerances to financial models.

Technology as a Tool

Visibility and control, not novelty.

Questions

What owners ask us

Will you keep my staff?▼

Yes — the team is the business, and we invest in the people who want to be part of what comes next. Where employees are engaged, bring a positive attitude, and want the business to succeed, they're exactly who we build around and back into bigger roles.

Do I have to leave straight away?▼

No. Most owners stay 12–18 months in a consultancy role. Your timeline, not ours.

Will you change the name?▼

Rarely. Your name carries reputation. We only rebrand if the team agrees it makes sense.

How long does it take?▼

First conversation to completion: typically 3–6 months.

Is it confidential?▼

Completely. NDA as standard. We don't speak to staff, customers, or suppliers without your permission.

How do you value a business?▼

A multiple of EBITDA, adjusted for quality. Try the Value Builder above to see how it works.

What's your business worth?

Free, confidential desktop valuation within 48 hours. No obligation.

Request Free Valuation
Contact

Start a conversation

Business owner, adviser, or management team — if you want to talk, we're here. No pressure.

Email
info@fde.capital
Phone
+44 07557 748 647
Location
United Kingdom
Web
fde.capital