It has been a pleasure to work with the Calder Group in finding a new home for these businesses and we wish the teams at both every future success under GIL ownership.
Oliver Hoffman Partner - Head of Mergers & Acquisitions
Advising Calder Group on the sale of Leeds Bronze Engineering and Helander Precision Engineering to GIL Investments
9 June 2025
Our Deal advisory team is delighted to announce that it has advised long-standing client; Calder Group, a pan-European engineering group, on the successful sale of Leeds Bronze Limited (“Leeds Bronze”), a niche metal stockholder and Helander Precision Engineering Limited (“Helander”), a precision engineering specialist. The divestment is a key strategic step for the Group as it continues its focus on its core metals business.
The Calder Group is a pan-European metals and engineering group, serving a global customer base in the aerospace and defence, construction, healthcare, marine, nuclear, oil and gas, security and other markets.
Leeds Bronze has a long-standing heritage with over 45 years history as a premium metals stockholder and is renowned for its market leading stockholding, in terms of both volume and breadth of stock available. It operates from a single bespoke facility in Yorkshire allowing for further operational improvements.
Helander established in 1975, is a precision engineering specialist. It operates from a site in Gloucestershire, UK, manufacturing mission critical components to a high degree of customer specification focusing on complex engagements. Helander services blue chip customers across the Aerospace and Defence, Energy, Construction, Marine & Industrial and Nuclear markets.
The transaction forms part of the turnaround of the Group, led by Mike Saunders (CEO), focusing Calder on its core businesses globally. With the assistance of Forvis Mazars the two businesses have found a natural fit within the existing GIL Investments’ portfolio; comprising of engineering, manufacturing and other niche companies
Forvis Mazars acted as lead financial advisor on the deal and supported in delivering the deal with Calder Group, including pre-sale consulting advice, offer negotiation, and negotiating net debt and normalised working capital adjustments to deliver the best value for the shareholders, doing so in a timely manner and working collaboratively and pragmatically with the Calder board, to deliver a successful outcome for all.
The Calder Group was advised on the sale by a core team led by Oliver Hoffman, Arran Smedley and Matthew Such from Deal advisory. Neil Mumford, Beth Bale and team from Pinsent Masons provided legal advice and Deloitte were tax advisors on the deal.
On a personal level it has been great fun to work with the wider Calder team again and assist the Group with its strategic objectives. We are delighted to have successfully exited both businesses under a single transaction and it further demonstrates Forvis Mazars’ technical ability across complex transactions and carve-outs.
Arran Smedley Associate Director - Mergers & Acquisitions
This transaction represents a great outcome for all parties, allowing Calder to continue with its long-term strategic plan and providing Helander and Leeds Bronze with a new platform for further growth - we wish management every future success. The strategic advice and hard work of our long-standing advisors Forvis Mazars and Pinsent Masons was critical to get this complex divestment over the line.
Iain Clarkson CFO of Calder Group
Mergers & Acquisitions
Tailored M&A advice to create and maximise shareholder value
Key contacts
Oliver Hoffman Partner - Head of Mergers & Acquisitions - Leeds
