Helix Tool Company partners with MRO+ Solutions and Cairngorm Capital to advance national growth plans

Helix Tool Company Limited (Helix), a North of England independent cutting tool specialist has entered into a partnership with MRO+ Solutions and Cairngorm Capital Partners to accelerate its ambitions to become national player in the cutting tool market.

Founded by Charles and Louise Robinson in 1994, Helix offers both consultancy and supply to clients across the aerospace, automotive, medical, oil & gas and power generation sectors.  As an independent with relationships across leading OEM brands, it is able to select the best possible product to deliver a solution that is bespoke to a client’s needs. Headquartered in Leeds, Helix employs 17 staff.

This partnership offers Helix the strategic opportunity to increase market share; diversify the industries that it serves; grow and extend its relationships with suppliers; allowing it to scale its business and  broaden customers’ experience. Charles and Louise Robinson will continue to lead the business going forward.

MRO+ Solutions is a team of highly experienced industry executives led by Ian Ritchie, Chief Executive of MRO+ Solutions and former managing director of Brammer UK. Cairngorm Capital is a specialist private investment firm with a focus on the UK manufacturing, distribution and services sector. Together, they partner with strong, ambitious management teams providing capital, strategic advice and operational best practice to help them transform the growth potential of their companies.

This is MRO+ Solutions’ and Cairngorm Capital’s second investment in the Maintenance & Repair, Reliability and Operations (MRO) industry, following their partnership with process instrumentation provider, MJ Wilson, earlier this year and supports their strategy to create a new national and full-service MRO distribution group.  In parallel, they are delighted that Michael Kerins, former President & Chief Executive of Cromwell Group, the leading UK broadline Industrial distribution company, has joined the board of MRO+ Solutions, to support its continued expansion. Mike held a variety of roles at Cromwell and led the sale of that business to WW Grainger Inc.

Discussing the opportunities that the partnership will bring, Charles Robinson, Helix’s managing director said, “We are proud of all that we have achieved to date, in particular having developed our supply and technical support service into a collaborative methodology that delivers increased productivity and reduced costs for all our customers – it has made us the first choice technology supply partner. Nevertheless, we knew that with the right partner there was much more that we could offer. We are excited by the prospect of being able to pursue further innovation and improvements, which ultimately will benefit our customers, suppliers and employees.”