How TEC Motors secured private equity backing from Foresight Group
For many ambitious business owners, growth brings a new question: how do you move from a successful, well-established business to the next stage of scale?
That next step often requires more than strong trading performance. It may require investment, additional leadership capability, broader product and service capacity, and a strategic partner who understands the market.
For TEC Motors, a specialist distributor of electric motors, gearboxes and inverters, that partner was Foresight Group.
Founded in 2006 by Scott Edwards, Tina Edwards and Gareth Richardson, with the support of Martin Knott, TEC has grown from its Worcestershire base into a leading UK distributor serving customers across multiple industrial sectors. The business has built its reputation on deep technical expertise, product availability, reliability and exceptional service.
As the market evolved, TEC’s shareholders recognised an opportunity to accelerate growth and strengthen the business further. The challenge was finding the right investment partner to support that ambition.
A specialist business in a changing industrial market
TEC operates in a technically demanding market, supplying electric motors, gearboxes and inverters to industrial customers across the UK.
Its strength lies not only in the products it distributes, but in the knowledge behind them. TEC’s sales and technical services teams bring specialist expertise in motor efficiency, reliability and performance optimisation, supported by capability across gearbox and inverter systems.
That technical understanding has become increasingly important.
As regulatory standards tighten and net-zero commitments drive greater focus on energy efficiency, industrial operators are under pressure to improve performance, reduce waste and optimise operations. TEC is well positioned to support that shift through its enhanced product range, technical capability and customer-focused approach.
This combination of market demand, technical differentiation and trusted customer relationships made TEC a compelling opportunity for the right investor.
Finding an investment partner aligned with the shareholders’ ambitions
TEC’s shareholders were not simply looking for capital. They wanted a partner who could support expansion, help broaden the company’s product and service capabilities, and strengthen its position in an evolving market.
A team led by Dave Gardner, alongside Mughees Saleem and George Dalton, advised TEC throughout the transaction.
A key part of the work was understanding both the commercial strengths of the business and the personal objectives of the shareholders. TEC needed to be positioned not just as a successful distributor, but as a high-performing, technically differentiated business operating in a resilient market supported by long-term regulatory and environmental drivers.
The process focused on identifying investors with the experience, appetite and strategic fit to support TEC’s next phase. Cultural alignment was also critical. The right partner needed to recognise the value of TEC’s service ethos, technical knowledge and long-standing customer relationships.
Why Foresight Group stood out
Foresight Group was selected as the right investment partner for TEC.
Foresight was attracted by TEC’s established market position, specialist expertise and consistent growth in a highly technical distribution sector. The business also benefits from structural demand drivers, including the increasing focus on energy efficiency and net-zero commitments across UK industry.
For TEC, Foresight brought more than funding. It offered the experience, strategic support and growth mindset needed to help the business build on its strong foundations.As part of the investment, Jonathan Rhodes has been appointed Chief Finance Officer, bringing decades of relevant experience, while Duncan Cooper joins as Chair following a distinguished career in the industrials sector. This strengthened leadership team will support TEC as it deepens its product offering and enhances service capability nationwide.
Supporting ambition with strategic capital
For TEC’s leadership team, the investment provides the backing to continue building the business while staying focused on what has made it successful: technical knowledge, reliability and customer service.
Scott Edwards, CEO of TEC, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Foresight, a firm with a track record in backing ambitious UK businesses. With Foresight’s investment, we are enhancing our services and deepening our product range to help drive energy efficiencies and operational excellence for our customers. We are excited for the next chapter of TEC’s journey.”
He also highlighted the importance of having advisers who understood both the business and the shareholders’ goals, explaining that the team simplified the process, took time to understand TEC’s business and market, and were equally focused on finding the right investment partner to allow TEC to prosper.
Lindsay Duebendorfer, Investment Director at Foresight Group, described TEC as:
“A long-standing, independent distributor in a specialised market” with “a strong reputation for technical expertise and reliability.”
What business owners can learn from TEC’s story
TEC’s investment journey highlights several important points for entrepreneurial business owners considering private equity backing.
First, the right investor should bring more than capital. For TEC, the priority was finding a partner that understood the market, valued the culture of the business and could support long-term growth.
Second, positioning matters. TEC’s story was not only about distribution. It was about technical expertise, customer trust, energy efficiency, operational resilience and exposure to strong market drivers.
Third, leadership and governance are an important part of growth investment. The appointment of an experienced CFO and Chair shows how strategic capital can be supported by additional expertise around the leadership team.
Finally, the process reinforced the value of understanding the shareholders’ personal objectives as well as the commercial opportunity. A successful transaction should reflect both.
