AED group opens its capital for a new partner to support its ambitious growth strategy

AED group seeks an ambitious investor to bring the business to the next level and capitalize on its strong market position.

WILLEBROEK, ANTWERP, BELGIUM, June 2, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — AED group, a leading European audiovisual company, today announced that its current shareholders are opening the capital to support its growth strategy. The company seeks an ambitious investor to bring the business to the next level and capitalize on its strong market position.

Founded in 1985 by current CEO Glenn Roggeman, AED group (“AED”) has experienced significant growth over the years, expanding from a ‘dry hire’ rental company to a ‘one-stop-shop’ for audiovisual professionals. The company has diversified into sales (new and second-hand equipment, both own and third-party brands), leasing (financing equipment for professional users), repair services, and an ‘AV supermarket’ for entertainment consumables. AED provides audiovisual equipment for 60.000 events per year. With over 2.000 diversified customers, AED group has an impressive geographical spread which covers Europe and Middle-East.

AED Studios, the film, event, and television complex in Lint (Belgium), will remain a separate entity (and will therefore not be part of the transaction perimeter).

With more than 200 employees in 6 countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates), AED is one of the market leaders in the professional European audiovisual market. The company has a wide range of high-quality equipment in stock, dedicated to professional audiovisual users’ needs.

The current shareholders, PE Group, ING Private Equity, and Phifin, have supported the company’s growth during the last decade. Now, the company opens its capital to new investor who can take AED to the next level of growth.

Despite the challenges during the corona crisis, AED has demonstrated resilience and adaptability. The company has launched UVC disinfection equipment to combat the virus, built an Extended Reality studio for virtual events, provided its facilities to be used as vaccination centers, and increased its focus on audiovisual equipment for film and television productions.

Under the decisive leadership of founder and CEO Glenn Roggeman and its experienced management team, AED provides pan-European logistics to the audiovisual industry, with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment and industrialized maintenance processes.

AED ‘s future growth strategy includes both organic international growth and ‘buy & build’ opportunities. After acquiring a rental and production facility for aluminum entertainment structures in Venray, the Netherlands, in 2022 the company opened a branch in Dubai to serve the Middle East, a region with significant opportunities for large entertainment projects.

CEO Glenn Roggeman has been an early adopter of sustainability, and implemented renewable energy, electric vehicles, rainwater recovery, and advanced building insulation as early as 2007. The company’s 2MW peak solar power and 1.1MW battery capacity contributes to the European Sustainability policy.

AED looks for an investor who understands the audiovisual / event business and has a long-term investment strategy. With a strong balance sheet with €200 million in assets, an overall healthy financial position and a 2022 EBITDA of €24 million, AED is well-positioned for continued success. The company has proven its resilience and adaptability, making it an attractive investment opportunity for the right partner.

CEO Glenn Roggeman commented, “Our journey so far has been incredible, and as we look to the future, we’re excited about the prospect of partnering with an investor who shares our passion for innovation and growth in the audiovisual industry. We are confident that, together, we can elevate AED group to even greater heights.”

On behalf of the current shareholders, Stefan Yee, CEO PE Group and director of AED, added, “We are proud of our partnership with AED group and the accomplishments and the impressive growth trajectory we’ve achieved together. Now, we believe it’s time to invite a new investor who can support the company’s ambitions and drive it forward in this next phase of growth.” AED has appointed ING Corporate Finance as its financial advisor in order to ensure a smooth and professional transition.

This announcement marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for AED, with a new investor to fuel its growth, embrace its innovative spirit, and strengthen its position as a leading company in the professional audiovisual market.

Filip Van Vlem
AED group
+32 475488694
filip.vanvlem@aedgroup.com
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