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SmartSD Welcomes Smile Invest as shareholder and partner for its international expansion

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SmartSD Welcomes Smile Invest as shareholder and partner for its international expansion
03 september 2018

The investment fund Smile Invest announces today that it will become the main shareholder of SmartSD, market leader of security solutions in the BENELUX area. The participation has to facilitate the international growth of the company, mainly in the French market. Smile Invest has about €350 million of assets under management and this is the fund’s first investment. The fund was raised by a number of family entrepreneurs, grouped around Chairman Urbain Vandeurzen.

SmartSD is market leader in the Benelux as value-added distributor of products and services in the area of video surveillance, burglary- and fire protection and access control for the professional market. The group has branches in Breda (HQ, the Netherlands), Wilrijk (Belgium) and Paris (France). SmartSD delivers to a great number of professional installers and integrators, and has strong relationships with a diversified set of suppliers, who rely on the quality of sales, marketing, technical support and operational excellence.

The current management of SmartSD founded the company in 2008, which was spun off from a larger group to become an independent company in 2015. As from that moment SmartSD experienced double digit growth by selectively adding new suppliers and reinforcing its position as market leader in the Benelux. Strong emphasis was put on delivering added value and supporting customers and suppliers. This forms an excellent basis for further (international) growth in the coming years. The group reached a total turnover of over €50 million in 2017.

Existing shareholders, including the current management team, will stay on board alongside Smile Invest. Stefan Schreurs, Sales Director of SmartSD, about the transaction: “The arrival of Smile Invest as a new investor offers us the possibility to continue investing in our business model, market position and the further expansion of the company. The experience that Smile Invest brings to the table will be very valuable for SmartSD and will form a solid basis for further (international) growth and development of the company. With the support of Smile Invest we will also make the necessary steps to enter into the French market.”

Ivo Vincente and Bart Cauberghe, managing partners at Smile Invest add: “SmartSD fits perfectly in the investment philosophy of Smile Invest. We are focused on companies with a strong market position, which build on innovative technologies in a growing market. Together with management we see a lot of possibilities SmartSD’s end markets. With our evergreen fund we look forward to a good and long-lasting cooperation with the management of SmartSD and its shareholders.”

 

About Smile Invest

Smile Invest is a European evergreen investment fund with €350 million of assets under management and a long term focus on innovative growth companies in the Benelux financed by around 40 entrepreneurial families. From its offices in Leuven and The Hague the team supports entrepreneurs and management to realise their growth plans based on many years of experience, expertise and its extended network.

Contact
NL: Ivo Vincente, managing partner Smile Invest – ivo.vincente@smile-invest.com +31 70 76 30 151
BE: Bart Cauberghe, managing partner Smile Invest – bart.cauberghe@smile-invest.com  +32 16 24 42 31
BE: Thomas Dewever, managing partner Smile Invest – thomas.dewever@smile-invest.com +32 16 24 42 32