FMTC safety welcomes Smile Invest as partner for next growth phase
On January 31st, Benelux investment firm Smile Invest acquired a majority stake in FMTC Safety. FMTC Safety is a market leading player in the field of certified safety trainings for professionals in the (off-/onshore) wind, oil & gas and maritime sectors. Smile Invest, alongside management, acquired the stakes from investor FIELDS Group and founder Rob Bruinsma.
FMTC Safety, founded in 2014, provides certified safety trainings for professionals in the (off- /onshore) wind, oil & gas and maritime markets. FMTC Safety has a market leading position in the Netherlands and has had an increasingly important role in the global market since the opening of its first foreign location in 2019. In addition to now 6 locations where trainings can be followed, FMTC has a strong digital platform and e-learning environment. FMTC Safety is located near Schiphol Amsterdam, with offices in the Netherlands, France, Saudi Arabia and the US. Smile Invest, alongside management, acquired the shares from founder Rob Bruinsma and investor FIELDS Group, which had been involved with the company since 2017. The current management team is staying on board and Rob Bruinsma will remain involved with FMTC Safety.
Michel Hogervorst (CEO), who has led the company since 2020 and played an important role in its internationalization and professionalization in recent years, will remain active in his role and will coinvest in the transaction alongside Smile: "The arrival of Smile Invest as a new investor marks the start of FMTC Safety's next phase. Smile Invest brings a lot of experience in the field of internationalization to the table. Together with the team, founder Rob Bruinsma and FIELDS Group, we have expanded FMTC Safety from a local company to a globally renowned player. In this new chapter in which quality and further expansion are a priority, we believe that Smile Invest, with its international network and entrepreneurial approach, will be of great value to us."
Ivo Vincente and Ad Notenboom, (Managing) Partners at Smile Invest, add: "We are very impressed by the professionalism and quality of the organization, combined with the internationally relevant position that it has been able to acquire in this relatively short period of time. We, therefore, strongly believe in the international growth ambition where FMTC Safety can gain additional market share, through both organic and acquisitive growth. Its entrepreneurial nature, as well as its strong international ambitions, exposure to the wind sector and increasing focus on the digital environment, fit perfectly within our investment focus. We look forward to supporting FMTC in this new phase of growth."
Joris van Gils, Partner at FIELDS Group: "It has been a pleasure to work with FMTC Safety, Rob Bruinsma as well as Michel and his team on the further internationalization of FMTC Safety. Together we have tripled FMTC Safety in size and have grown it from a single training location in the Netherlands to a global player with 6 locations, without losing its DNA. We wish FMTC Safety, the team and Smile Invest the best of luck in further expanding the business."
About Smile Invest
Smile Invest (Smart Money for Innovation Leaders) is a European evergreen investment firm with €350m of assets under management, financed by 40 entrepreneurial families and with a long-term focus on innovative growth companies. Smile Invest focuses on companies active in three investment themes: Digitalisation, Healthcare & Wellbeing and Environment. From its offices in The Hague and Leuven, the team supports ambitious entrepreneurs and management teams in realizing their growth plans.
Contact Smile Invest:
Ivo Vincente, Managing Partner
ivo.vincente@smile-invest.com | T. +31 6 22 91 92 32
Ad Notenboom, Partner
ad.notenboom@smile-invest.com | T. +31 6 54 28 60 98
About FIELDS Group
FIELDS Group is an entrepreneurial hands-on investor focused on developing companies with potential. FIELDS invests in companies headquartered in the Benelux and the DACH region and realizes real transformations with its team.
Contact FIELDS Group:
Joris van Gils, Partner
j.vangils@fields.nl | T. +31 641 31 33 39