Hyperion Equity Partners makes investment to form Ranger Fire & Security

Hyperion Equity Partners makes investment to form Ranger Fire & Security, bringing enhanced services to the market

• Hyperion Equity Partners – a mid-market private equity (PE) investment firm – has launched Ranger Fire and Security with the acquisition of two highly regarded fire and security businesses.  

• Hyperion focuses on backing high quality management teams, providing capital to execute buy and build strategies while offering strategic and operational advice.

• Hyperion has launched Ranger’s ‘one-stop’ solution in response to rapid transformation, high fragmentation and increasing regulation in the fire and security sector.

• Through multiple strategic acquisitions over the coming years, and with more than £20m in funding capacity, Ranger will enable businesses and public sector bodies to fulfil their fire and security regulatory requirements through one platform, bringing together high-quality services providers under one umbrella.

Tuesday 20th February 2024, London: Hyperion Equity Partners (‘Hyperion’), the mid market private equity investment firm with a specialism in buy-and-build strategies, has announced the launch of Ranger Fire & Security (‘Ranger’, ‘Group’) to provide customers with a high-quality integrated service offering whilst ensuring compliance with the ever-increasing safety regulations in the UK.

Hyperion was founded in 2022 by buy-and-build investment specialists with a strategy to reshape highly fragmented industries in which the leading businesses demonstrate high recurring income and excellent customer service. Hyperion targets experienced, driven, and committed management teams to join their new group entities.

The UK’s fire and security market has undergone significant transformation in recent years. As an industry it is highly regulated, highly skilled, and constantly changing – however, the sector is also highly fragmented. So, while standards are higher now than they have ever been, the increased number of market players and highly competitive nature of the sector mean that many companies are unable to scale.

In identifying the initial acquisitions for Ranger, Hyperion evaluated more than 150 different fire and security businesses against strict criteria, that includes high-quality service offering to customers, strong maintenance books, and exceptional leadership teams that are ambitious and incentivised to grow as part of the Ranger group.

Led by industry specialists and business service experts, the company will bring together high-quality fire and security businesses in partnership under a unified parent company. Ranger's first two acquisitions will play a crucial role in creating a pioneering platform that delivers innovation to the UK's fire and security sector, with many more to follow. The Group provides inspection, maintenance, repair and installation of portable fire extinguishers, fire sprinklers, fire alarms, emergency lighting, suppression systems and other ancillary services.

The first two companies to join the Ranger group are:

• Ignis Fire Protection Ltd: A midlands-based fire detection and security-based business, with a strong reputation for service quality.   

• Amerex Fire International Ltd: A vehicle and kitchen suppression service provider that has national coverage, with long-standing relationship with a key fire extinguisher distributor and service provider.   

  
  

Ranger’s management team expects to expand the Group by at least another six acquisitions by the end of 2024. Ranger has more than £20m in funding capacity to make acquisitions and invest in the Group’s infrastructure.

Paul Mahon, Partner, Hyperion Equity Partners, said: “We see a great opportunity for our back-buy-build investment thesis in the UK fire and security industry. Ranger aims to deliver a top-quality service providing a one-stop-solution for customers and their fire and security needs. Hyperion is excited to be working with the team to provide the capital and strategic support needed to make this mission a reality."

“Our investment in Ranger comes after an exhaustive search for high quality businesses coupled with experienced management teams and high ambitions to grow as part of Ranger. With considerable scope for further investment, we are looking forward to welcoming more exceptional companies to the Ranger Group, as we strive to create a national platform that covers all aspects of fire and security services.” 

Hyperion has appointed a management team to lead Ranger that is composed of some of the UK’s leading service industry executives and fire and security sector experts. CEO, Mark Bridges is former CEO of Pimlico Plumbers and Domestic and General’s International CEO, meanwhile Managing Director, Ian Teader, is a former national committee member of FSA and experienced operator within the fire and security industry. Together they provide companies under the Ranger umbrella with access to specialist knowledge and experience. 

Mark Bridges, CEO of Ranger Fire and Security, added: “The UK’s fire and security industry has undergone huge and rapid transformation in the last decade, and we strongly believe the best businesses in this sector can be even stronger together – working collaboratively to offer multiple high-quality services to their customers under one umbrella."

“The Ranger team is looking forward to working alongside the Hyperion team who has been remarkably successful executing buy-and-build strategies and significant funding capacity for follow-on acquisitions."

“We are excited to welcome Ignis Fire Protection and Amerex Fire International to the team, and this is only the start. We are always looking to collaborate with fire and security entrepreneurs and businesses to whom we can offer support to help them scale in line with their ambitions, and we expect to announce more businesses joining our company very soon.”  

Ranger was advised by Cortus for financial and tax due diligence, RSM for tax structuring and Zum Mohammed and the Gateley team provided legal support on the transaction.

About Ranger Fire and Security

Ranger Fire and Security is a company serving the UK's fire and security sector, with a mission to deliver greater innovation and enhanced services to customers. Launched by industry specialists and service business experts, it will bring together quality-led businesses operating in the UK’s growing fire and security market.   

With the market more highly regulated than ever, Ranger will combine high-performance, high-potential fire and security businesses on one collaborative platform. With Ranger, UK businesses, charities and public sector bodies get total peace of mind that they can manage and fulfil their fire, safety and security regulatory obligations in one place.    

For more information, visit: https://www.rangerfs.com