“Arpentus brings calm to unexpected partnerships.”
Door
Jan Anker
Datum
13 June, 2023
In het kort
We assisted Jan Anker in the collaboration between Meerbouw Rotterdam B.V. and BILTZ.
Jan Anker and his three partners at Meerbouw didn’t initially consider a deep collaboration. However, one day, a potential partner showed up at their doorstep, posing questions such as whether they were willing to make a leap, who they would collaborate with, and under what conditions.
In 2014, Meerbouw had an annual turnover of “only” 5 million euros. Last year, the figure skyrocketed to 46 million euros, with a healthy return on investment, as Anker is quick to mention. Yet, he wasn’t entirely satisfied. “We are a construction and maintenance company. In recent years, we’ve been closely managing our finances, which has yielded good returns. But there’s more to be achieved.”
Potential partner at the doorstep
This was more or less Anker’s mission as the director, supported by the other shareholders: to grow and optimize the return on investment. But then, a potential partner showed up at their doorstep. What to do now? The four partners – three in their sixties and the 52-year-old Anker – deliberated. They sought advice from their accountant, Visser & Visser.
DNA match
“We wanted to take the next step with a good feeling. With a company that aligns with our DNA. We are somewhat unconventional, not stodgy. We have self-managing teams and an open culture. We said: we’d rather have a partner who fits well with the company than better terms from a company that’s less compatible,” Anker firmly states. “That’s how we approached it.”
Multiple parties
That was the situation that Arpentus encountered. It was time for action because several other parties had caught wind of the possible Meerbouw transaction and were knocking on the door. The information memorandum compiled by Arpentus did its job. There were meetings and discussions on various fronts. Still, the first interested party, Biltz Groep, remained the top choice in all respects. “A particularly great group,” says Anker, clearly enjoying the thought. “We share many ideas.”
“A beautifully complementary team. One was a mathematical genius. Another streamlined all the documents. The third brought calm with his deep voice and applied the right amount of lubrication when necessary.”
A beautiful complementary team
But ideas need to become plans, and plans need to be executed. Arpentus assembled a team for this deal. Anker worked closely with these individuals and describes them somewhat iconically. “A beautiful complementary team. One was a mathematical genius. Another streamlined all the documents. The third brought calm with his deep voice and applied the right amount of lubrication when necessary.”
Calmness
Anker admits that he had never sat at a table with so many lawyers and advisors before. Yet, it underscored the importance of the decision. At times, the tension rose, but it never reached a breaking point. “Arpentus brought calm,” Anker concludes. “Calm to the process. Calm to our minds. We were confident that we were consistently making the right decisions, even in the legal aspects, where many conditions needed to be established.”
Future secure
This led to Meerbouw joining forces with Biltz Groep. What mattered to Anker and his fellow shareholders was a bright future for the company, and that was assured through the collaboration with Biltz Groep. To the satisfaction of all parties, even though the champagne had to be put on hold during the transfer. The local government delayed providing a document related to the lease of the company property, turning a shared high point into an online click session. Each to their own. “I look forward to working with Biltz in building the company in the coming years. Unless someone in the company overtakes me,” Anker winks. “In that case, I’ll hand over the reins and return to being a project manager. Or executor. There’s plenty to do…”
