Investment will accelerate innovation, strengthen customer and supplier partnerships, and expand Arco’s reach across the UK, Europe and North America.
Arco, the UK’s leading safety specialist, has announced its acquisition by global investment firm H.I.G. Capital, marking a significant milestone in the company’s 140-year history.
The investment provides capital and strategic support to accelerate growth, expand capabilities, and strengthen Arco’s position across the PPE, workplace safety, training and services markets. It also creates new opportunities to broaden strategic industry relationships, improve product access and strengthen the dependable service customers rely upon in demanding operational environments.
Since CEO Guy Bruce was appointed in December 2022, Arco has invested significantly in operations, customer experience, product development and innovation, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible growth. This approach was recognised with EcoVadis Platinum status, placing Arco among the top 1% of companies globally for sustainability performance.
Building on these strong foundations, Arco plans to invest further in its proprietary and Arco-branded product ranges, broaden its industry-focused safety programmes and practical training capability, including its Energy Safety Centre in Aberdeen and pursue strategic acquisitions that complement its capabilities and geographic reach.
For customers across the energy sector, including oil and gas, offshore wind, renewables, and marine industries, the investment will support Arco's long-term commitment to delivering trusted safety products, technical knowledge and practical support for complex operating environments to help meet evolving operational and regulatory requirements.
Thomas Martin, spokesperson for the Martin family, said the decision was guided by finding the right long-term partner for Arco’s future. He noted that the business is stronger today through the professionalisation of its strategy, governance, Board and executive leadership, and expressed confidence that H.I.G. is the right partner to support the next phase of growth.
Guy Bruce, Chief Executive Officer, said Arco now has the infrastructure, talent and capabilities to support a substantially larger business. With H.I.G’s support, we can accelerate investment in new product development, industry collaboration, workforce safety capabilities and customer support services. Helping us deliver even greater value to our customers
With more than 1,200 colleagues nationwide, over 140 years of safety expertise, and a leading position in the UK market, Arco enters its next chapter with a continued commitment to delivering trusted safety solutions, technical expertise, high-quality learning experiences and the service excellence customers expect from Arco.