Clearwater International advises the shareholders of Guldberg and Personites on its sale to TMC

Clearwater International has advised the shareholders of Guldberg GmbH (Guldberg), a leading provider for the temporary provision of engineering and IT specialists, and Personites GmbH (Personites), a managed service provider for external personnel, on the sale of shares in both companies to TMC Group (TMC), a high-tech consultancy company, which is a portfolio company of private equity investor, Apheon.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, Guldberg has developed into a leading provider of temporary provision for engineers and IT specialists, particularly in the automotive, aerospace, special machinery, and robotics sectors. With more than 100 consultants, the company is the preferred staffing and recruitment partner for well-known companies in the automotive sector, including many German automotive OEMs and suppliers. This acquisition also includes Personites, a managed service provider for external personnel based in Munich with several locations in northern Germany, which works for DAX 40 and Fortune 500 companies. Under the leadership of Guldberg's current management team, consisting of Managing Directors Andreas Scherer and Julia Pelka, as well as a new Managing Director who will join Personites in February 2024, both Guldberg and Personites will continue its activities under their own names and will be TMC's flagship in the German market.

TMC is a high-tech consultancy company that was founded in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, in 2000. It currently has 26 offices in 14 different countries and over 2,500 employees worldwide. TMC provides high-tech companies with knowledge and expertise in fields ranging from physics and software to nanotechnology and data science. It's “Employeneurship Model” offers engineers, data scientists, and digital experts the opportunity to combine the security of a permanent contract with the passion of entrepreneurship. Employeneurs work in multidisciplinary teams on their own projects to further develop their curiosity and passion for technology.

With this strategically important acquisition, TMC aims to expand its business in Germany and increase its overall international presence. The aim is to employ more than 1,000 people in Germany as quickly as possible, which will contribute to TMC's goal of growing to 5,000 employees by 2028.

sold to

a portfolio company of

Sell-side

Undisclosed
Clearwater Advisers
Adviser to the shareholders of Guldberg and Personites on its sale to TMC
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Germany has a huge mechanical engineering market, especially in the automotive sector, and this offers considerable growth opportunities. To capitalise on these opportunities, we need to grow locally, including through acquisitions. Guldberg reflects TMC's standards and values in everything it does. TMC is a very entrepreneurial organisation with a people-centric culture. Therefore, we see this acquisition as a great opportunity to bring TMC's unique working model closer to German engineers.

Emmanuel Mottrie, CEO, TMC

We are very excited to come on board at TMC and contribute to the company's growth trajectory. With Guldberg as a flagship for excellent engineering and IT services, and Personites as a dynamic MSP provider in Germany, I am confident that we are setting the first milestone to grow to 1,000 employees in Germany. We can learn from each other, with the same standards and values, which will make it easy for us to work together and utilise our synergies. The management team is looking forward to this great opportunity and to build the German TMC base. We are profoundly grateful for having Clearwater as our M&A adviser throughout the sales process. Their expertise, dedication, and strategic guidance have been instrumental in navigating this complex journey, ensuring a successful and rewarding outcome. Clearwater's unwavering support has truly made a difference and we appreciate the invaluable cooperation during this pivotal transaction.

Andreas Scherer, CEO, Guldberg

It was a great pleasure supporting the shareholders of Guldberg on this transaction. TMC successfully emerged from a multi-stage process with an ideal synergy for Guldberg. In an ever-evolving and flexible work environment, we anticipate sustained business growth with the support of TMC and are confident that both companies will continue to thrive under these favourable conditions.

Axel Oltmann, Managing Partner, Clearwater International

Clearwater Advisers

Axel Oltmann
Axel Oltmann Managing Partner Member of the Board

+49 69 58302 77 22 Email
Maximilian Hammers
Maximilian Hammers Director

+49 69 58302 77 38 Email
Fynn Bornat
Fynn Bornat Associate

+49 69 58302 77 48 Email
Kevin Meiser
Kevin Meiser Analyst

+49 69 58302 77 42 Email

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Clearwater International advises the shareholders of Guldberg and Personites on its sale to TMC

Clearwater Advisers

Axel Oltmann

Maximilian Hammers

Fynn Bornat

Kevin Meiser