Shoosmiths has advised private equity firm Oakfield Capital Partners (Oakfield) on an investment in to The Gainsborough Silk Weaving Co Ltd (Gainsborough) – an industrial-sized weavers in England which holds the Royal Warrant.
The new investment will allow the company to capitalise on its rich heritage of fabric designs and boost its sales and marketing efforts around the world.
Shoosmiths partner Alastair Peet and associate Gareth Cook advised Oakfield on all corporate aspects while Tax partner Tom Wilde provided specialist EIS tax advice.
Michael Patton of Oakfield, who has joined the board of the Gainsborough, said: “We believe that this unique, British business has the potential to sell its product globally. By leveraging its heritage product and manufacturing facility with financial resource and great people, we are confident that Gainsborough will grow quickly. Shoosmiths provided seamless advice to us on all corporate and tax matters for this important transaction.”
David Sentance has been appointed as managing director of Gainsborough and will lead the company’s UK consolidation and expansion into the USA and Middle Eastern markets. David has spent more than 25 years in the fabrics industry building up companies supplying the furnishing industry on an international basis.
