Quantuma advises 4D Capital on Hepworth Clay carve-out 

Quantuma has advised private equity investor 4D Capital Partners on its acquisition of Hepworth Clay in a corporate carve-out from Wavin Limited, a UK subsidiary of global building and infrastructure group Orbia.

The Quantuma deal team, led by Birmingham-based managing director Scott Peters, together with associate director Richard Hill and Analyst Matt Freer, provided comprehensive bid support and debt advisory services.

Hepworth Clay is the UK’s sole manufacturer of vitrified clay pipes and associated fittings used in drainage systems. The business operates from 550,000 sq ft of manufacturing space on over 100 acres in the Midlands. It uses material from its own quarries which hold “significant” clay reserves. 

Alongside its core drainage products, Hepworth also manufactures terracotta products for construction, including flue and chimney systems.

4D Capital is a private equity house from the Midlands, which was founded by Alex Silk, alongside Dan Newett, Dom Wong and Daniel Hannappel. 4D specialises in complex corporate carve-outs and special situations. 

The Quantuma deal team led a “competitive and complex” debt raise, ultimately selecting Metro Bank as the financing partner, and advising on the transaction’s financial structure.  

The firm secured “significantly stronger” terms than the initial terms offered by lenders, which substantially improved the returns on 4D’s investment. Holly Bedford from Quantuma’s sister company K3 Tax Advisory provided advice on property demergers.

Alex Silk, founder of 4D, said: “The Quantuma team was integral to us completing this deal. Their expert knowledge of the fundraising market, buyside experience and ability to drive momentum made a real difference. 

“They went above and beyond in terms of managing the process – it’s always easier to complete complex transactions when you have high-calibre buy-side advisors like Quantuma, and we look forward to partnering with them on future investments.”

 Scott Peters, managing director at Quantuma, added: “It’s fantastic to see so many Midlands-based advisors working on this transaction. Hepworth is an important Midlands asset and it’s very rewarding to bring it back into the local ownership of 4D Capital. The 4D team are exceptionally talented and it’s great to see ambitious new private equity houses showing great interest in the Midlands. 

“We’re very much looking forward to seeing them take Hepworth to new heights. This was a complex deal and a great demonstration of Quantuma’s capabilities – it’s also great to see the next generation of corporate financiers coming through, with Richard Hill playing a critical role on this deal.”