Benchmark International

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the acquisition of water treatment specialist, Cornelsen Group, by Rivus Capital.

Cornelsen Group, based in Essen (Germany), and with a branch in Nailsea (United Kingdom), was founded in 2001 by Dr. Martin Cornelsen. The company is a water treatment and remediation solutions specialist with its own patented PFAS treatment technology (per- and polyfluorinated substances). Cornelsen Group operates a heterogeneous customer base throughout the EU, UK, US, and Canada.    

Rivus Capital is an owner-managed family office based in Munich. It invests capital from entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs with a focus on companies that are already creating a sustainable, clean, safe and healthy world for current and future generations.

In order to support Cornelsen Group's national and international growth, Rivus Capital acquired a majority of the shares from the founder and owner Dr. Martin Cornelsen, who will continue to lead the company as Managing Director for the next few years. Cornelsen Ltd (UK) Managing Director, Quentin Hulm, sold all of his shares to fulfil his retirement plans. His successor, Matt Ingram, will take over the operating responsibilities as Managing Director of Cornelsen Ltd.

Dr. Martin Cornelsen commented on the transaction: "After more than 20 years of building up my business, I realized that the timing was perfect to bring a professional and entrepreneurial investor on board who will support us bringing Cornelsen Group to the next level of company development. I would like to thank the team at Benchmark for their dedicated support and for navigating us through the challenging process of this M&A transaction.”

Patrick Schloter, Partner at Rivus Capital added: “Cornelsen Group perfectly matches our investment criteria. Based on the strong foundation that has been created by Martin Cornelsen over the past 23 years, we look very much forward to collaborating with the management team to drive the sustainable business development of the company in the upcoming years. Given the strong demand for environment improving solutions, we see a bright future for Cornelsen Group based on its current position in the market and its unique patented technology.”  

Europe: Michael Lawrie at +44 (0) 161 359 4400 / Lawrie@BenchmarkIntl.com

Americas: Sam Smoot at +1 (813) 898 2350 / Smoot@BenchmarkIntl.com

Africa: Anthony McCardle at +27 21 300 2055 / McCardle@BenchmarkIntl.com 

ABOUT BENCHMARK INTERNATIONAL:

Benchmark International is a global M&A firm that provides business owners with creative, value-maximizing solutions for growing and exiting their businesses. Benchmark International has handled over $10 billion in transaction value across various industries from offices across the world. With decades of M&A experience, Benchmark International’s transaction teams have assisted business owners with achieving their objectives and ensuring the continued growth of their businesses. The firm has also been named the Investment Banking Firm of the Year by The M&A Advisor and the Global M&A Network as well as the #1 Sell-side Exclusive M&A Advisor in the World by Pitchbook’s Global League Tables.