Bridgepoint acquires US-based Safety Technology Holdings

Kenny Wastell
13 February 2018

Tweet
Facebook
LinkedIn
Google plus
Send to

Bridgepoint has acquired Safety Technology Holdings, a US-headquartered group providing crash-test dummies, optical fibre, industrial sensors and safety test equipment, from Golden Gate Capital.

Safety Technology said in a statement that it was looking to expand its European activities with the support of Bridgepoint, in addition to pursuing growth in the Chinese market.

Financial details of the transaction were undisclosed, though the GP drew capital from the €4bn vehicle Bridgepoint Europe V, which typically targets businesses with enterprise values of €150–600m. According to Unquote Data, the fund was 58% deployed as of September 2017.

Safety Technology is headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan. The group consists of Michigan-headquartered crash-test dummy manufacturer Humanetics, UK-based optical fibre manufacturer Fibercore, Massachusetts-headquartered industrial sensors manufacturer and installation business Hitech Sensor Developments and Austria-based safety test equipment company FronTone.

Under the vendor's tenure, the business has undertaken a buy-and-build growth strategy, with a view to capitalising on the emergence of driverless and electric cars, in addition to increased safety regulatory requirements.