Cleaning business Duo siivouspalvelut Oy, hailing from Tampere, was sold to Nordic property maintenance specialist PHM Group. In line with the Group's strategy, the acquired company will continue as a distinctive, strong local operator. This pleases Mari Männistö and Sanna Kananen, the founders of Duo siivouspalvelut, as does the input of Finlandia Business in the acquisition.
Mari Männistö and Sanna Kananen's decade of work consistently bore fruit: year after year, Duo siivouspalvelut reached a nice profit in relation to the industry and has been repeatedly acknowledged on the business newspaper Kauppalehti's list of the most successful companies. This had aroused the attention of potential buyers, but it took a timely contact from Finlandia Business and an encouraging view of the sales price to make the founders seriously consider selling their business.
Same name but now with wider prospects
Finlandia Business's Jarmo Pakarinen brought to the table a wide array of potential buyers, from national operators to majority investors. "It's good that we reviewed our options thoroughly, so now we don't feel like we have left any stones unturned. On the other hand, there weren't too many options, so it wasn't too difficult," says Mari Männistö, one of the two founders.
Finally, they selected PHM Group. Its operating method includes companies continuing under their own name and operating model, which means that nothing changed for Duo siivouspalvelut's staff. There is power in being part of a group, and now, as part of the Group's wider offering, Duo Siivouspalvelut can get its foot in the door with clients that were out of its league before the acquisition.
A new career in your own company
"I have ten years to go before retirement. I thought this was the last opportunity to make a change," Sanna Kananen, one of the two founders, explains her personal motives behind the selling the company. Sanna will continue in her previous role in Duo siivouspalvelut, as will Mari Männistö, who says that she doesn't like to plan life too much ahead. "I hope that the new owner will keep my job so interesting that we'll enjoy each other's company for a long time to come," says Mari.
Trusting an expert makes your life easier
Duo siivouspalvelut was a company in great condition, which means finding prospective buyers was not an issue. Couldn't you have handled the acquisition without an intermediary? "Selling your company is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most, and only rather few have a sufficient understanding of the market. You can get it right with sheer luck, but why take the chance? Jarmo brought to the table elements from which we found a solution that best suited us. If you even have to consider whether to use an expert or not, I'll absolutely encourage you to do so," says Sanna Kananen. Mari Männistö agrees with her.