When Anderson Barrowcliff came to sell a 30-year client, they needed more than their existing network. Here is what happened when they looked further.

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In M&A, familiarity can be both an asset and a blind spot. When you have advised a business for three decades, you have a deep understanding of the business. But finding the right buyer, one who truly fits the business's culture, history, and future, often requires looking beyond your existing network. That is exactly the challenge Anderson Barrowcliff faced when they came to sell Radac UK Ltd. And it is what makes this deal worth writing about. 

About Anderson Barrowcliff

Anderson Barrowcliff is a North East England-based chartered accountancy and advisory firm with deep roots in the regional business community. When it came time to act as sell-side adviser on the disposal of Radac UK Ltd, a client of the firm for 30 years, the stakes were clear. This was not just another transaction. It was the result of a long-standing relationship built on trust, and the outcome mattered. For Niall Bradley, leading his first deal through Anderson Barrowcliff, the pressure was real. Finding a buyer who could honour that legacy while having the conviction and capability to take Radac forward was non-negotiable.

What This Deal Illustrates About Modern M&A

Mid-market M&A has historically relied heavily on personal networks. Advisers worked their contacts, buyers were found through relationships, and the quality of a deal often depended on who happened to know whom. That model is increasingly insufficient, not because relationships do not matter, but because the best buyer for any business is rarely the one who was already in the room. Platforms like Dealsuite change that equation. They make the mid-market transparent and accessible, connecting opportunities across borders and beyond existing networks.The result is not just more enquiries, it is better-matched ones. For Anderson Barrowcliff, Dealsuite delivered exactly that: a structured process, a qualified pool of buyers, and ultimately the right home for a business.

How Dealsuite Shaped the Process

From the outset, Dealsuite served as the primary platform for initial communications, structuring what can otherwise be a slow and fragmented stage of any deal. It surfaced Thundercat Industries as a credible interested party and facilitated those early conversations in a way that allowed the process to move from initial enquiry to meaningful engagement quickly.

That structure made a real difference, not just to the process, but to the outcome. Being able to access a broader pool of serious, well-matched buyers is precisely the kind of advantage that changes what is possible. 

Why Thundercat Industries Was the Right Buyer

Of the four enquiries received through Dealsuite, Thundercat Industries stood out, not because of the terms they put on the table first, but because of the quality of their engagement from the very first meeting. Thundercat specialises in acquiring and permanently holding UK manufacturing businesses, with a focused track record across industrial components, instrumentation, and test equipment. The conversation between Thundercat's team and Radac's directors felt genuine and collaborative rather than transactional. There was a natural rapport and a shared vision that emerged early. Thundercat took time to understand the business, its people, and the history behind it, the kind of understanding that only matters to a buyer who intends to be a good steward of what they are acquiring. Adding to Anderson Barrowcliff's confidence was the fact that Thundercat had recently completed another successful acquisition. That track record provided strong assurance that they had both the capability and the commitment to see the deal through. 

The Outcome

The sale of Radac UK Ltd completed successfully, with Thundercat Industries as the acquirer. For Anderson Barrowcliff, it marked a significant milestone: Niall Bradley's first completed deal and the culmination of a three-decade client relationship. For Radac, it represented the right next chapter. For M&A advisers working in the mid-market, the lesson is straightforward: the right buyer is out there. The question is whether your process gives you the reach to find them.

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