Growth Through Acquisition in the Defence Industry

Background

The client, a well-established multinational company in the automation sector, sought to grow its market presence by entering the defence industry in Australia. They identified acquisition as a faster and more effective strategy than organic growth. However, they…

Had difficulty in identifying potential acquisition targets that aligned with their investment criteria.
Had limited visibility into firms that were privately held and potentially open to sale.
Needed discreet outreach to assess interest without alerting the market.
A growing skills shortage; particularly skilled engineers and software developers, that was hampering the company’s ability to scale in Australia. They were seeking an acquisition that included such talent.

What We Did

Understanding & Research

We conducted detailed workshops with the client to define precise acquisition criteria, then performed comprehensive market research to identify potential targets. This included mapping the entire Australian defence-related automation sector and assessing each company’s strategic fit.

Strategic Outreach Campaign

We designed and executed a highly targeted, confidential outreach campaign. Through our networks and research, we identified and approached 57 companies that matched our client’s criteria, ensuring complete discretion throughout the process.

Evaluation & Shortlisting

Through careful evaluation and screening, we identified four high-potential companies that demonstrated both genuine interest and strong strategic alignment. Importantly, all shortlisted opportunities were off-market, allowing for exclusive negotiations without competitive pressure.

Results

We provided the client with opportunities not publicly available, ensuring competitive advantage and better negotiation positions.

Firms engaged with

Firms exclusively shortlisted

Key Takeaways

A targeted acquisition strategy can be more effective than organic growth when entering new sectors, particularly in highly regulated industries like defence.
Systematic outreach to a carefully selected group of companies often uncovers premium opportunities that aren’t publicly available in the market.
Off-market opportunities provide significant advantages. They eliminate competitive pressure to create stronger negotiating positions for better deal terms.
Strategic acquisitions can solve multiple business challenges simultaneously, from market entry to addressing talent shortages in critical technical roles.

Growth Through Acquisition in the Defence Industry

Background

What We Did

Results

Key Takeaways

Plan Smart. Exit Stronger.

Sell Smart. Exit Premium.

Acquire Confidently.