Tag Security Holdings has been acquired by Smartwater Group

October 2021 — Tag Security Holdings has been acquired by private equity-backed Smartwater Group. As the market for temporary security solutions and security towers is growing significantly, both Tag Security Holdings and Smartwater Group see strong opportunities to further build their position in Europe. At the same time, the acquisition allows Smartwater Group to expand across mainland Europe and benefit from an enhanced and more extensive product portfolio.

Tag Security Holdings is an innovative security solutions business specializing in the rental of temporary wireless security, access control and fire alarm systems for an international client base, with major customers such as VolkerWessels, Royal Bam and Hochtief. The company mainly operates with scalable wireless temporary security products under the name of BetaGuard in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, and TAG Systems in the UK.

Smartwater Group, backed by Freshstream, is the holding company of PID Systems and Smartwater. PID Systems provides armored, video-verified alarm systems designed for rapid deployment at some of the most demanding environments, such as rail networks, cable storage yards and material laydown areas. Smartwater is a manufacturer of robust traceable liquid and forensic solutions that can be applied to items to identify and deter theft, as well as sprayed onto criminals at point of crime.

Freshstream is a mid-market private equity firm focused on investments in the Netherlands, the UK and Belgium. A spin-off of Bregal Freshstream, Freshstream typically invests in the range of €30 million to €100 million (US$35 to US$115 million) for platform acquisitions and less for buy-and-builds. Current portfolio companies of Freshstream include, amongst others, Radley, M&J Evans, Verwater and Euro Caps.

Our role in the transaction

Oaklins’ team in the Netherlands acted as the exclusive financial advisor to the sellers in this transaction, building on its leading M&A position in the security market, following deals such as TotaalBeveiligingen, La Barrière Automatique and Smartwares Security.