In Total Specific Solutions (TSS), the three shareholders of Pantheon Automatisering found the desired buyer. Even more important than the valuation, was consideration for employees and customer base of the ERP and HRM software specialist. These have been safeguarded by means of this acquisition; the company will continue to act autonomously under the banner of TSS.

From our office in Drachten, Karel Kramer guided the transaction, together with Koen Rutten and Laurens Heideman. “In the north of the country as well, there is a great deal of consolidation going on in IT and software,” he observes. “Businesses in this sector need a certain scale to be able to keep up with the developments. This causes ample movement in the M&A market. Pantheon had pursued an active buy-and-build strategy itself and acquired more than ten smaller software suppliers in the past decade, including Hulst Computersoftware, FreshNG and FMS.”

Select the ideal buyer

This time, they were at the other end of the table. That Marktlink’s deal team joined them there was not a big surprise. Karel Kramer: “A few years ago, we were introduced to Pantheon. Now that two of the three shareholders are approaching retirement age, they were considering a sale. It was great to have been able to support them in this process. Substantial interest allowed us to provide the shareholders with a choice, for them to select the ideal buyer.”

Pantheon Automatisering offers a full-service solution for business processes of SMEs. With a team of 130 people, the company achieves an annual turnover of approximately 15 million euros. Hans Siekerman will stay on in his role as commercial director. The shareholders had a clear picture of the ideal buyer,” Karel remembers. “Several foreign buyers were interested, but then Pantheon would have had to integrate partly. That wasn’t an option, continuity beat valuation.”

No exit horizon

And TSS offers that continuity. The company operates over 105 independent software business units in Europe. “Software for life is its motto. TSS typically acquires businesses without the intention to sell at a later stage. They have no exit horizon and acquired businesses don’t have to integrate. They can profit from each other if that is advisable. Thanks to this structure, there is no need for Pantheon’s shareholders to concede on their major conditions. Nothing but happy faces at the civil notary’s office,” Karel Kramer concludes.