July 2023
Agilitas, the pan-European mid-market private equity firm, is pleased to announce that it has completed the sale of Hydro International (“Hydro” or “the Company”) to Oldcastle Infrastructure, A CRH Company. Hydro is a global provider of best-in-class, mission-critical technological solutions for the control, storage and quality management of wastewater, stormwater and industrial process water. It helps municipalities and businesses improve their water management processes, enhance their operational performance, and reduce any adverse impact on the environment. Leveraging more than 60 years of proprietary technical knowledge, Hydro has developed unparalleled industry-leading technologies in all its specialist areas, with over 125 patents with a strong focus on smart data capabilities in recent years.
Agilitas initially backed the buyout of Hydro in February 2018. Since then, the team has worked with management to further improve the Company’s essential support services and data analysis products, broaden its customer base, and expand its global reach. Since Agilitas backed the business, Hydro has developed strategic trading relationships in the US, France, United Arab Emirates and China, and is now a global provider with a sales presence across 19 countries. The Company has also won strategic contracts across the infrastructure, stormwater and wastewater sectors and has launched new products. Hydro has made three strategic add-ons to boost its water consulting and service offerings, helping to make the Company the UK’s leading provider of headworks solutions and services. Hydro has also accelerated its research and development efforts by expanding its US laboratory and it boasts a growing patent portfolio.
Commenting on this announcement, Tor Midsem of Agilitas said: “It has been a pleasure to work with such a talented and devoted management team and to help them cement Hydro’s market leading position within the environmental technologies space. Their relentless pursuit of excellence has been instrumental in achieving remarkable success and driving sustainable growth, and we look forward to watching their continued achievements in the future.”
Paul Cleaver, CEO of Hydro International, added: “We want to thank the Agilitas team for their important contributions and their unwavering support, which has allowed Hydro to develop and grow into a true leader in our field. We are now excited to begin the next step in our journey.”
Martin Calderbank, Managing Partner at Agilitas, highlighted that: “Our backing of Hydro is an excellent example of our focus on supporting companies that answer fundamental human or planetary needs.We are proud that under Agilitas’s stewardship, Hydro has dramatically transformed and improved its ability to help businesses and municipalities reduce their environmental impact with better water management.”
Financial details of the transaction are not disclosed.
Media enquiries to: Greenbrook Communications – James Madsen and Teresa Berezowski
+44 20 7952 2000 | agilitas@greenbrookadvisory.com