ECI is one of the founding firms of the modern private equity industry in the UK. ECI has been an active investor in private companies since it was established as Equity Capital for Industry in 1976, in response to the then Government’s report on the equity gap for smaller companies.
ECI has evolved and grown over the past three decades, both in terms of personnel and investment strategy. Today from its offices in London and Manchester the 21-strong executive team specialises in management buyouts, buyins and development capital deals with companies valued between £10 million to £150 million.
Since our first management buyout investment in Ansafone in 1981, ECI has developed into one of the leading UK mid-market private equity firms with an enviable track record across multiple funds. In 1990, we adopted an exclusive focus on mid-market buyouts, and since then we have successfully sold 80 investments with a total value of over £2.5billion, creating significant value for both our investors and the management teams we have supported.
We are always looking to develop our strong track record in a wide range of industries. Sectors of interest, where the executive team has built up a wealth of experience, include software and IT services, support services, consumer and leisure, manufacturing and healthcare. We have helped a number of familiar names grow and develop including Williams Holdings, Guardian IT, Bloomsbury Publishing, National Express, Sunsail and more recently Holiday Autos, Tragus, Laterooms, Think Money and Racal Acoustics.
ECI remains a natural partner for companies with growth potential and ambition. We raised our ninth buyout fund, ECI 9, at £437 million in December 2008. This fund exceeded the original £400m target in just three months with over 90% of the capital being committed by existing ECI investors.