Tinicum and Blackstone to acquire UK aerospace components maker Senior plc in £1.4bn take-private deal
US private equity firms Tinicum and Blackstone have agreed to acquire Senior plc, a UK-listed manufacturer of high-precision components for the aerospace and automotive sectors, in a take-private transaction valued at approximately £1.4 billion. The deal would delist Senior from the London Stock Exchange, where it has traded as a constituent of the FTSE mid-cap universe. Senior supplies engineered components and systems to major aerospace OEMs (original equipment manufacturers — companies that produce finished products using parts from external suppliers), including airframe and engine system parts. The business has benefited from a sustained post-pandemic recovery in commercial aviation build rates, making it an attractive platform for sponsors seeking exposure to long-cycle industrial demand. Tinicum, a private investment firm with an existing track record in industrial and aerospace assets, is co-investing alongside Blackstone, one of the world's largest alternative asset managers. The combination of a specialist industrial co-investor alongside a mega-fund sponsor is a structure increasingly common in mid-market take-privates where sector expertise is valued alongside capital scale. The transaction requires approval from Senior's shareholders and will need to satisfy UK merger control thresholds under the Enterprise Act 2002. As a UK-incorporated public company, the deal is subject to the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers administered by the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, including mandatory timetable rules and fair and equal treatment requirements for all shareholders.
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