Arete Capital Partners and River Capital back growth of Cheshire firm
From left, Jamie Newall (Arete), Garry Jones (SCS), Mark Borzomato (River Capital)(Image: River Capital)
Cheshire chauffeuring service SCS will consider national acquisitions after securing a “seven-figure” investment from North West firms Arete Capital Partners and River Capital.
SCS was founded by Garry Jones in 2018 with a single vehicle and today has a fleet of luxury vehicles, with 125 full-time chauffeurs and a 25-strong head office team.
Some 80% of its revenues come from long-term B2B contracts for business-class passenger chauffeur services, while the company has also worked with airlines, restaurant groups and sporting organisations. SCS says its focus is on “maximising reliability, service standards and discretion”.
Now Mr Jones plans to use the support from River and Arete to grow its team and to invest in technology – and the business also aims to pursue a “targeted buy-and-build strategy” to grow nationally.
SCS founder Garry Jones said: “This investment marks a pivotal moment for SCS. It enables us to scale our fleet, secure new contracts and build on the service standards our clients trust us for. From a single vehicle to where we are today, I’m incredibly proud of the team and excited to take SCS to the next stage with the support of Arete and River Capital.”
Jamie Newall, investment director at Arete, added: “SCS is a fantastic North West business and after meeting Garry and the team it was immediately clear to us that the quality of service, consistency of product and attention to detail SCS offers is both unique and a clear differentiator amongst its competitors in a growing luxury travel segment. Alongside River Capital we look forward to supporting the team at a local level through our shared expertise and networks as they look to expand and invest in the technology that will underpin the company’s next phase of growth, further cementing its position as the industry benchmark.”
Mark Borzomato, CEO at River Capital, said: “SCS has built an outstanding reputation for delivering seamless, luxury travel experiences, and its commitment to service and client satisfaction has made it a genuine regional success story. We’re therefore excited to be working alongside Garry, the SCS leadership team and Arete to support the company’s next phase of growth. This investment will enable SCS to build further capacity, enhance its systems and create more high-quality jobs across the region.”
Advisers to Arete/River include Alex Thow of Hill Dickinson (legal), Andrew Nelson and George Daubney of Cowgills (financial and tax DD) and Patrick Morris of Fairhurst (tax planning).