International M&A specialist, Benchmark International, has successfully negotiated the sale of Advantone Inc. to IntelePeer Holdings Inc.

Benchmark International has successfully negotiated the sale of Central Emergency Medical Services to Priority Ambulance, a portfolio company of Enhanced Equity Funds. The transaction represents the conjoining of two of the strongest players in the EMS industry in the Southeast US.

Based in Atlanta, Central EMS provides advanced life support, basic life support, critical care and nonemergency transport options from 13 stations throughout the state. Eight stations are located in the Atlanta metro area and its surrounding counties. Central EMS also serves Northeast Georgia from an Athens location; Central Georgia from Macon, Dublin and Newnan stations; and Southeast Georgia from a station in Savannah.

Central EMS transports approximately 50,000 patients annually with 77 ambulances. The company specializes in ambulance transport service between hospitals and other health care facilities, assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities and long distance transports, as well as contracts for special event medical coverage. Central EMS currently employs more than 340 EMTs, paramedics, communication and billing specialists.

Based in Knoxville, Tenn., Priority Ambulance provides the highest level of clinical excellence in emergency and nonemergency medical care to the communities it serves. Throughout its national service area, more than 1,000 highly trained paramedics and EMTs staff more than 170 state-of-the-art ambulances with the latest medical equipment and technology.

Priority Ambulance provides emergency and nonemergency medical transport options to communities in Tennessee, Alabama, New York, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Georgia. Operating as Priority Ambulance, the company serves Knox, Loudon and Blount counties in East Tennessee. Priority Ambulance operates as Kunkel Ambulance in Utica, New York; as Trans Am Ambulance in Olean, New York; as Shoals Ambulance in Alabama; as Seals Ambulance in Indiana; and as Central EMS in Georgia.

Dara Shareef, Director at Benchmark International, stated, “It was a pleasure to represent Central Emergency Medical Services in this transaction. Combining management teams with hundreds of years of experience, backed by a strong private equity investor we believe the partnership with Priority Ambulance will be extremely successful within the EMS industry. We wish both parties the best of luck moving forward.”

Graham Woodard, Senior Associate at Benchmark International, stated, “Benchmark’s ability to create a competitive bid process for our client was instrumental in this transaction. At the end of the day, we believe our client found the perfect fit to continue and grow in the EMS industry and preserve a merited legacy.”

Central Emergency Medical Services Founder and CEO, Gary Coker, stated, “I am extremely pleased with the partnership that we have developed with Priority under the guidance of Benchmark International. I believe that the Central EMS and Priority Ambulance combined management teams will be able to deliver powerful results within the industry. I would like to thank all the members of the Benchmark International transaction team that worked diligently to produce this result and feel strongly we could not have achieved this without them by my side every step of the way.”

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of BSW Consulting (Exeter) Limited (BSW) to Parkwood Consultancy Services Limited (PCS) for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the successful sale of Protean Software Limited (Protean) to Foresight Group (Foresight) in a £4 million deal.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the successful sale of Managed Fleet Services Limited (MFSL) to The Davies Group for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of The Canopy Company Limited (The Canopy Company) to Acme Facilities Group Limited (Acme Group) for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the sale of Complete Limited to Sparks Commercial Services.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the successful sale of Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tours Limited (Arblaster) to Specialist Tours Limited (Specialist Tours) for an undisclosed sum.

Strategic Investment in Leading Developer of Pharmacy Management Software

Benchmark International’s Major Transaction Team had the opportunity to represent Transaction Data Systems, Inc., doing business as Rx30 ("Rx30"), in a transaction with new investor GTCR completed on Monday. GTCR’s strategic equity investment in Rx30 will accelerate Rx30’s new product development and continued growth. Rx30's CEO, Steve Wubker, and the existing management team will continue to lead the company.

Rx30 is a leading national developer and supplier of vertical enterprise software that offers pharmacy management software solutions to the independent, hospital, long-term care and specialty pharmacy markets. Dedicated to the independent pharmacy market for the last 35 years, Rx30 offers a suite of market-leading software solutions to enable prescription filling, pharmacy management and other critical functions for its pharmacist customers.

Kendall Stafford, Managing Director of Benchmark International, stated, “It was a pleasure to advise Rx30 on this transaction. It was important for CEO Steve Wubker and the existing management team to partner with an equity investor that would add both healthcare and technology expertise to help accelerate the growth of the company. GTCR was the perfect fit. The transaction allowed the founding shareholders to exit happily at close, knowing their company is in good hands, with the existing management team continuing to grow the business and a new equity partnership in place to support their vision. It will be an exciting road forward for Rx30 and we were fortunate to be a part of the company’s growth and starting this next chapter. We wish each party the best of luck.”

If you are considering a strategic partnership or exit, Benchmark International should be your first call.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the successful sale of Systems Up Limited (SystemsUp) to iomart Group plc (iomart) in a deal worth up to £13 million.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the sale of Yeovil Plumbing Supplies Limited to the Bradfords Group.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the successful sale of Academy Design & Technology Services (Academy Design) to Integrity Trade Services Inc. (Integrity) in a deal for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the successful sale of AF Cruden Associates Limited (AF Cruden), to Arch Henderson LLP (Arch Henderson) for an undisclosed fee.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the successful sale of Seven Seas Logistics Limited (7seas) to a private buyer, for an undisclosed fee.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the successful sale of Lancelyn Lighting Limited, trading as ‘Lancelyn Theatre Supplies’, to Northern Stage Services Limited.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce the sale of Contronics Limited (Contronics), which has been acquired by two private investors, for an undisclosed fee.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Wimpole Printing Limited (Wimpole) to Greens Digital Limited (Greens Digital), for an undisclosed fee.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of PDC Utility Services Limited (PDC) to Siteserv Group (Siteserv), in a deal which bolsters the industrial services division of its subsidiary, Deborah Services Limited (DSL), for an undisclosed fee.

Benchmark International is pleased to announce the successful sale of Michael Robb (Accountancy and Taxation Services) Limited to JM Taylor Limited.

The Aberdeen-based company Michael Robb (Accountancy and Taxation Services) was established in 1998 as a one-man business catering for all the needs of small to medium sized business, including accountancy, taxation, VAT, and payroll services. The continued success and growth of the Company has meant constant additions to staff, which now numbers five.

The acquirer, JM Taylor Limited, offers financial and accountancy services to the local business community. Established in 1978, JM Taylor has vast experience and acts as accounts/business consultants and independent advisers to circa 2,000 clients, both large and small.

The Company is ideally located for this acquisition as it has offices in three locations in the north east of Scotland, Aberdeen, Ellon & Blackburn.

Discussing the deal, Benchmark International Chief Operations Officer, James Thornton noted, “The opportunity generated 38 interested parties, resulting in two firm offers.

“With two competing offers providing a competitive atmosphere surrounding the deal, our client was afforded the opportunity to select an acquirer which would best suit his objectives and those he holds for the company.

“The timeframe in which the deal was completed is also worthy of note, just over eight months from the initial marketing phase being undertaken. On behalf of everyone involved at Benchmark International, I would like to wish them all the best for the future.”

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Formations Direct Limited to Xephyr Limited in an all-cash deal amounting to nine times the Company’s EBITDA.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of True Lens Services Ltd to Procam Television Holdings Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of a 75% interest in Ball and Hoolahan Ltd to Empresaria Group plc for £1.5m.

Benchmark International is delighted to announce successful completion of the sale of Sterimedix Ltd to Synergetic USA, Inc. for an initial sum of £8.5m, with an additional gross profit margin earn-out through December 31, 2017.

Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, Sterimedix manufactures and distributes cannulas, needles and other disposable products for ophthalmic and aesthetic procedures. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, Sterimedix generated total revenue of approximately £4.1m.

Synergetics USA, headquartered in Missouri, USA, with offices in France, Germany, Italy and Australia, specialises in the design, manufacture, and marketing of innovative surgical devices for ophthalmic and neurological applications.

Sterimedix’s Managing Director, Ronnie McFarlane, noted, “The Benchmark International team, led by Roger Forshaw, was left by us to negotiate the price entirely. We as a company did not feel adequate to start the negotiations with potential acquirers and, therefore, by using alternative quotes Roger managed to leverage a final offer price from Synergetics USA." He further added, "Roger became personally involved to try to keep the wheels oiled and to keep negotiations going when we became frustrated with the due diligence process. He suggested alternative routes to complete the process and that was certainly a significant benefit to us completing the deal at the end."

On the deal, Benchmark International Associate Director, Roger Forshaw, commented, “This is another great completion for Benchmark International. We were able to source a great buyer from the US, structure a deal that worked for all parties and tightly manage a cross-Atlantic deal to a successful completion. We wish both our clients and the buyer, Synergetics, every success in the future.”

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Betabite Hydraulics to Tesserrae Holdings for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Cawkwell Engineering to T&G Engineering for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of PpTek Ltd to Parker Hannifin for an undisclosed sum.

The M&A specialist, Benchmark International has successfully negotiated the sale of Williams Testing LLC to Primoris Services Corp. (NASDAQ: PRIM).

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Medical Services (North East) to ERS Medical for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful recapitalization of G.W. Shultz Tool, Inc.(GWS) by Addison Capital Partners (ACP) in partnership with the management team of GWS in an undisclosed deal.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Braille Battery, Inc. to Grafoid Inc. for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Bailey Morris Limited to Indutrade for an undisclosed sum, the second acquisition of a Benchmark International-advised company by Indutrade within 12 months.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Universal Air Tool Company Limited (UAT) to P&F Industries, Inc. (P&F) for  seven times the Company’s EBITDA.

Glasgow-based confectionery and soft drink import and distribution specialist Dexters Confectionery Limited has entered a joint venture with Unex Private Equity in an undisclosed deal.

Retained by Venturian Group and its shareholders of Miami Florida, USA, Benchmark International successfully facilitated the sale of the Company to Intelligent Living Inc.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Vibration Control Services to The Practice Care Maintenance Services Ltd, trading as PCMS Engineering.

Acting on behalf of BlueForge LLC (“BlueForge”) and its shareholders of St Petersburg, Florida, USA, Benchmark International successfully facilitated the sale of BlueForge to ARGO Systems, LLC (“ARGO”).

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Cable Accessories to Dalroad Norslo Group for an undisclosed sum.

Benchmark International has advised on the successful sale of Network Technology Solutions (UK) to Capita IT Services for an undisclosed sum.