The British electronic components manufacturer DiscoverIE Group has announced a takeover of Trival Antene, a Slovenian manufacturer of communication antennas and masts for defence and professional applications. Pending regulatory approval, the price tag of the deal could reach almost €53 million by 2028.
The Mengeš-based company is being acquired for an initial cash consideration of €45.5 million, DiscoverIE said on its website on 4 December.
In addition, deferred consideration of up to €1.65 million will be payable subject to certain conditions twelve months from the completion of the deal, and an earn-out of up to €5.5 million will be paid to the seller, the Slovenian equity fund Alfi, if Trival Antene achieves certain growth and performance targets in the period up to 31 March 2028.
The deal still has to be approved by regulators, which DiscoverIE expects will be done by the end of the year. The group said Trival Antene would retain its brand identity.
Headquarters of Trival Antene, a manufacturer of antennas and antenna masts. Photo courtesy of the company
In 2024, Trival Antene posted €12.7 million in revenue and €4.9 million in net profit. Founded in 1965, the company is present in some 70 markets. Its majority owner, Alfi has a 51.47% stake in the company, with the remainder being the company’s own stake.
“We’re happy that Trival Antene is going into the hands of a European buyer that will enable it to grow further and give it access to a wide array of global buyers,” Alfi director Tone Pekolj said according to the business news portal Finance, which described Trival Antene as “one of the best Slovenian medium-sized enterprises”.
Founded in 1986, DiscoverIE Group employs some 4,500 people and is present in around 20 countries. It designs and manufactures electronic components, mostly those used in industrial applications.
In the last fiscal year, which ended on 31 March, the group generated €482 million in revenue and almost €70 million in profit.
“This transaction brings another high-quality business into DiscoverIE,” group chief executive Nick Jefferies said.
Trival Antene produces antennas used principally in land-based defence applications, and according to Jefferies, this acquisition is the first by DiscoverIE focused mainly on their security target market.
