Management Buy Out

Plysu Protection Systems becomes Professional Protection Systems in assisted MBO.

One of the world’s leading manufacturers of decon technology, Plysu Protection Systems Ltd has been the subject of a successful assisted management buy-out this month (January) changing its name in the process to Professional Protection Systems Ltd.

The company has been acquired from former owners, South African packaging giant, Nampak , for an undisclosed sum by Mark Whitcher, Director and General Manager of the old Plysu Protection Systems ,with the assistance of outside backers.

Whitcher becomes Managing Director and former Nampak finance boss, Stephen Nobbs , joins as Chairman. “ In our former existence our company wasn't known in the market place as Plysu Protection Systems but as PPS. In our new existence we shall still be known as PPS. This is all indicative of the way we propose to go. Like the name change all our other changes will be similarly subtle, but for the better , thus helping to allay the understandable fears that all customers, suppliers and employees have about change”

The new company will retain its site at Woburn Sands, near Milton Keynes, for the foreseeable future where it has been since its creation in 194. Not even the current telephone numbers change. The existing work force is set to grow as Whitcher and his management team begin to implement ambitious plans for growth. Traditionally one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of air fed protective clothing the company has, under Whitcher’s management, built up a thriving export market in decon showers for hazmat and mass decon operations . In addition it won the contract to manufacture the UK’s first standard decon shower for NHS and ambulance services.

as the USAF, the Japanese Defence Forces, the French Government , Czech Fire Services and the Malaysian civil defence corps. “PPS was always a profitable part of the Nampak group”, says Whitcher, “but it was difficult, with the best will in the world, to find a real synergy between an organisation focused on making plastic bottles for the world’s food processing and dairy industries and one making bespoke products for the world’s emergency services. We just didn't fit together”. New PPS is, says Whitcher, well funded with a healthy order book. One of its first tasks is to embark on an ambitious programme of investment in new manufacturing facilities as well as R&D. Another top priority is going to be the introduction of high profile customer training programmes with a strong focus on deploying the new decon technologies. A new sales manager, with a considerable track record in this area, David Watson, joins Whitcher’s team this month to implement this part of the programme. To follow are two new sales staff to continue home ground and overseas sales initiatives.

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