Trescal, the international specialist for calibration services, continues its geographic expansion with the acquisition of Benelux leader Stork Intermes, from Stork Materials Technology (SMT), a material testing group headquartered in the Netherlands.

Founded in 1972, Stork Intermes specialises in temperature, pressure, electrical, humidity, mechanical and geometrical calibration. The company is based in Antwerp (Belgium) and Hengelo (The Netherlands) and is also active in France and Switzerland. With a turnover of € 13 million and 120 staff, the company’s success is based on its high service levels and its technical skills. Stork Intermes’ leading position in the Benelux enables it to work with over 3,000 customers cross the aeronautical, pharmaceutical and petrochemical industries.

Stork Intermes’ reputation and philosophy are perfectly aligned with Trescal’s objectives: offering technical excellence and one-stop-shop convenience wherever its customers are located.

The acquisition brings together complementary technical skills; Stork Intermes specialises in non-electrical (e.g. pressure and temperature) services, while Trescal’s current offering focuses predominantly on electrical fields (e.g. high frequency, data / telecom and fibre optics).

This is Trescal’s third acquisition (following DTI in the US and Antech Engineering in the UK) since 3i and TCR Capital invested in the company in September 2010, allowing Trescal’s pro-forma turnover to increase by c30% in 2011.

Olivier Delrieu, President and CEO of Trescal, said, “We are very pleased SMT decided to trust Trescal for this acquisition; we are confident Stork Intermes’ management team will help the group thrive and expand even more given their impressive track record.”

Charles Noall, CEO of Stork Materials Technology, said, ‘We feel that this transaction will bring an excellent future for the staff and customers of Stork Intermes and, subject to the advice of the Stork FDO Works Council, we expect the process to complete in August.”

Remi Carnimolla, Partner 3i, commented, “We are enthusiastic about the potential of the new combined group. This is another illustration of how 3i can create value by actively implementing a buy-and-build strategy in order to build a group with a strong international reach.”

David Robin partner at TCR added, “We are very satisfied with this acquisition, which confirms Trescal’s market leadership in a more definitive manner. As shareholders, we have been happy to support the management and their vision of creating a “global leader.” We plan to maintain our acquisition strategy going forward as opportunities become available.”

About TCR www.tcrcapital.com
TCR Capital is an independent private equity partnership managing some €M 350 in capital, and  investing in market leading businesses with high-growth potential. The Funds managed by TCR have a clearly defined objective of investing in middle market buyout opportunities in France (companies with sales €M 20 - €M 200) where TCR can add value post-investment—particularly where there are build-up opportunities—and in corporate spin out situations.

About 3i www.3i.com
3i is an international investor focused on Private Equity, Infrastructure andDebt Management, investing in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Our competitive advantage derives from our international network and the strength and breadth of our business relationships.  These underpin the value that we deliver to our portfolio, our shareholders, and our fund investors.

About Trescal www.trescal.com 
Worldwide leader in calibration, Trescal provides a broad range of services for the test and measuring equipment market. Trescal are represented in 14 countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Tunisia, United Kingdom, United States.

Supplementing the standard technical services (verification, calibration and repair of T&M instruments), Trescal offers their expertise for the implementation and acquisition of measurement systems, customised equipment pool management software solutions, metrology and technical support, and training.

Trescal operate in 59 calibration laboratories and employ over 1,500 people across Europe. Trescal serve 20,000+ customers in various sectors such as Defence, Aerospace, Aeronautics, Automotive, Power Generation & Utilities, Electronics Manufacturing, Communications, and Medical & Chemistry. In 2011, Trescal pro forma sales should reach €145 million.

About Stork Materials Technology http://www.storksmt.com
SMT is an established network of 26 independent material testing laboratories located across Europe and the United States. SMT teams support clients around the world—and from all industries—with precise materials testing and inspection to meet regulatory, quality, and industry specifications. SMT laboratories lead the industry in innovative, customized testing programs for all types of projects and processes—from early R&D stages to continuing quality maintenance in the market and beyond.

For further information, contact:

3i 
Kathryn van der Kroft, Tel:  +44 20 7975 3021 kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com

TCR Capital
 David Robin, Tél :  + 33 1 53 81 77 81 – drobin@tcrcapital.com

Trescal 
Guillaume Caroit (General Secretary), Tel:  +33 1 56 70 36 10 guillaume.caroit@trescal.com 
Catherine Bourdoncle (Communication Director), Tel:  + 33 4 42 46 99 66 catherine.bourdoncle@trescal.com 

Stork Materials Technology
Ari McKee-Sexton (Marketing Communication Manager) Tel:  + 1 651 659 7327 ari.mckee@us.stork.com