Human value central to TSD Group’s buy & build strategy

Buy & build strategies have now become a powerful growth formula for companies in specialized markets. A striking example is TSD Group, a strategic investor in the world of safety and risk management. The organization applies a buy & build strategy to expand into sectors such as food, pharma, construction, and the energy transition. Through targeted acquisitions, TSD Group is strengthening its position as a leading player. What sets this approach apart is the central role of human value in every acquisition.

Fire safety, security, safety supervision, and occupational health services are the specialties of the companies within TSD Group. Their clients are large, often international companies in petrochemicals, the energy sector, and manufacturing. They rely on the safety expertise of the TSD Group family—for example, for deploying safety supervisors, providing safety training, and inspecting fire extinguishing systems and the functioning of fire-resistant partitions in buildings.

Buy & build strategy drives strong growth

A successful buy & build approach requires a solid foundation and a clear growth trajectory. The foundation of TSD Group was established in 1992 with a staffing agency in the port of Vlissingen. This agency quickly grew into TSA Safety Services, an organization with an outstanding reputation in the industry. The services were gradually expanded with more specializations in the safety sector, partly through acquisitions. From 2017 onward, the organization deliberately focused on a buy & build strategy with the establishment of TSD Group. “In 2019, we had 300 permanent employees, plus an additional flexible pool of 200 people. Six years later, we are growing to 1,200 staff with another 600 in a flexible layer,” explains Robbert van der Veen, COO of TSD Group, about the rapid expansion.

Support creates a flywheel effect for companies

 Safety is the central theme at TSD Group, but it’s ultimately about people, says Van der Veen. The organization deliberately invests in relationships to ensure sustainable integration and motivation across the various companies.
“We now have about twenty labels. These are our own companies, mostly organized in a decentralized way with a lot of autonomy and their own subcultures. At TSD Group, we tell our entrepreneurs: ‘Focus on what you do best for your clients and with your teams; we will organize and standardize the back office.’ That includes, for example, the application landscape and the processes. And we offer support in all kinds of areas.” As a result, companies don’t have to worry about good marketing, HR, or financial software.
“With our support, you get the flywheel that enables you to keep growing. We can really add value, and every company we acquire adds something to us in turn. Because we also learn from the new input, and that helps us grow.”

The integration of new companies into the group is carried out intentionally at a slow pace. Van der Veen explains that often only after a year post-acquisition do they start assessing how a company operates. “We want to understand it and see what we can learn from it. Who is the founder? What culture has been built? What kind of people work there? After that, we look at the critical components and how we can strengthen them.”

Dealsuite opens doors to new sectors

 Van der Veen mainly uses Dealsuite to shift from a reactive approach to the acquisition market to a more proactive orientation.
“We are reasonably well known in the market. As a result, we are regularly approached by companies seeking an acquisition partner. This naturally creates a pipeline of three to four candidates with whom we have discussions. However, I want to search more deliberately for companies that fit our strategic direction.”
TSD Group is considering expansion into new sectors such as food, pharma, construction, and energy transition, or new services like consultancy, events, and project management. Dealsuite offers access to companies that may not be in their own network. Van der Veen says:
“Thanks to Dealsuite, I have already had about five conversations.”

Would you like to get in touch with TSD Group about a potential acquisition, partnership, or exploration of a sector? Please contact Robbert van der Veen, COO of TSD Group.