Colmec Group, a Scandinavian distribution platform for truck tire lifecycle management, has been sold to Norvestor

Colmec

Colmec is the leading truck and bus tires distributor in Scandinavia and Poland. Since its founding in the 1960s, Colmec has, under the ownership of the Eckerström family, grown to become a market-leading independent aftermarket distributor of commercial tires in the Nordics. With its outsourced service offering to assume total responsibility for the tire function, the company has built a position as a trusted partner to truck and bus fleet operators in its core markets. On top of cost efficiencies, the offering has environmental benefits from the tire life extension through CO2 reducing retreading. Colmec employs over 380 people across four countries and generated revenue in excess of SEK 1.1 billion in 2022.

The Deal

Colmec has partnered with Norvestor, a Nordic private equity investor focused on medium-sized companies. This collaboration with Norvestor as the majority stakeholder is a significant milestone for Colmec, positioning the company for ongoing success together with its customers, suppliers and employees.

The Eckerström family will remain as dedicated minority shareholders, ensuring a foundation for continuity and the opportunity to combine the family’s extensive industry experience with Norvestor’s track record of driving substantial growth in the businesses in which they invest.

Advising Colmec, Lincoln International provided full sell-side process management, working closely with the team throughout the transaction, and supporting with industry insights and strategic advice. Lincoln also played a crucial role in preparing comprehensive marketing materials, conducting due diligence and offering debt advisory services through lender education. Lincoln’s efforts ensured a well-rounded process that attracted both international strategic acquirers and financial sponsors capable of supporting Colmec’s growth ambitions.

Our Perspective

John Hamilton, Managing Director in Lincoln’s Stockholm office, commented, “It has been a pleasure to work with the Eckerström family and Colmec, and we congratulate them on the extraordinary success of the sale. We saw very strong interest in the market for this asset thanks to Colmec’s strong market position, sticky customer offering with the bundling of products and services, and CO2 reduction benefits from retreading. We are confident that with Norvestor as their new partner, Colmec will be ideally positioned to drive accelerated growth and continue developing the capillaries of the distribution network.”

Patrick von Herz, Managing Director in Lincoln’s Frankfurt office, commented, “Value-added aftermarket solutions providers present an attractive space to invest in thanks to the recurring and cyclical-resilient market demand. With Colmec, we also saw strong environmental attractions underpinned by a circular business model and the opportunity to drive a significant positive change in an industry with a big carbon footprint. We look forward to following Colmec and Norvestor as they continue to build a Northern European champion in the tire aftermarket.”

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