TCL Group secures follow-on funding after strong growth

TCL Group has acquired Playforce, a designer and builder of children’s play areas, after receiving further investment from BGF.

This is the third acquisition TCL has completed in seven months, as part of its strategy to provide a range of outdoor services and consultancy to house builders, local authorities, schools and heritage estates. In particular, the move will help the Northampton-based business scale up its ability to sell a range of services to the education sector. It acquired Burleys in June 2014 and ALS in August 2014.

Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Melksham near Bath, Playforce has gained extensive experience in designing and installing outdoor play environments aligned to school curriculums. The two businesses intend to take advantage of new opportunities in the education sector as purchasing power moves from local authorities to schools.

TCL Group is on track to achieve turnover of £45m this financial year, up from £22m at the time of BGF’s first investment in May 2014, which was made in conjunction with Investec Growth & Acquisition Finance’s debt funding package. This equates to an eight fold increase since chief executive Simon Cashmore bought the company in 2007. BGF, which backs growing UK businesses, has now invested a total of £15.1m in TCL.