One of Wales’ oldest businesses and leading survival and life support equipment manufacturer, BCB International, has been acquired in a multi-million-pound deal.
The business which started trading providing cough medicine to soldiers in the Crimean War in the 1850s, has been bought by Derby-based Wescom Group. The exact value of the deal has been disclosed.
BCB International has a range of around 500 core products, many of which are NATO approved. Its main customer is the Ƶ Ministry of Defence. Products include medical and survival kits and camouflage and concealment equipment. It also supplies FireDragon eco-fuel to soldiers for cooking.
Its latest audited accounts submitted to Companies House, show that in its 2023 financial year, it generated sales of £14.6m - of which nearly £3m were exports - and an operating profit of £2.7m. The business employs around 70.
Derby-based Wescom Group is a supplier of safety equipment in the defence, outdoor and marine sectors. It has specialist manufacturing facilities across multiple sites in Germany, Ƶ, Spain and Australia.
Its chief executive Ross Wilkinson said: “We can announce the successful completion of the acquisition of BCB International, a partnership that will further enhance Wescom Group’s core safety and survival product portfolio. We are excited to work with the management team on growing the business through the group’s extensive distribution network, whilst also having a strong focus on new product development programmes.”
BCB International’s managing director Andrew Howell said: “This announcement is an exciting opportunity and the BCB team are energised to be joining with Wescom Group. This partnership will help us to deliver our innovative MSC (multi-spectral camouflage technology and world beating FireDragon eco-fuel to a much wider international audience as well as our core products that are constantly evolving. We have known some of the Wescom team for many decades and it is invigorating to be working with them to help save lives and protect the protectors to a much larger scale.
Cardiff headquartered corporate advisory firm GS Verde acted for BCB International on its acquisition. Its chief executive Nigel Greenaway said: “We are delighted to see this transaction complete and wish all the teams at BCB International and Wescom Group, all the very best for their future partnership.
At GS Verde Group, we have helped many business owners through merger and acquisition transactions, whether it be exit and succession planning, or through acquisition and growth funding. We were pleased to work on a number record of deals in 2024, and have enjoyed a strong start to 2025, with more news to come in the coming weeks and months.”
