Industrial

Universal Industries has been delivering equipment solutions to businesses operating across several industries since 1996.

With hubs based in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, the group supplies equipment mainly to the food retail, wholesale, hospitality, manufacturing and related industries.

Although Universal was only incorporated in 1996, the underlying businesses are all well established businesses (some with a history of more than 100 years) supplying a diverse range of blue chip clients in the local and international markets. The group has a number of production facilities and offices nationwide and employs 1 400 people.

MIC transaction overview

In 2017, MIC acquired a 25% stake in Universal Industries.

Boasting offices in Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Durban and Namibia, African Marine Solutions (AMSOL) is a specialist solutions provider and partner to clients who operate in marine environments. AMSOL is the only marine solutions provider in the region that is employee and management owned, and is a catalyst for economic empowerment and shared value creation.

The company’s services offering is vast and covers several industries, including ports, mining, maritime and energy.

MIC transaction overview  

In 2016, MIC Capital Partners (a joint venture between MIC and RMB Ventures) acquired an 18% interest in AMSOL

Optron supplies and supports products in most countries across sub-Saharan Africa, directly and indirectly with the assistance of a select network of re-sellers and agents. Their solutions integrate a wide range of positioning technologies including GPS, laser and optical and inertial technologies, coupled with the latest application software and wireless communication technologies.

MIC transaction overview  

MIC Capital Partners acquired a 27% stake in Optron in 2016

Multiknit, the holding company of Knittex, Sakpro and Multiknit International, is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of knitted synthetic shade netting fabrics, as well as fruit and vegetable bags, in the southern hemisphere.

The product range of these companies is broad and includes: synthetic shade netting for plants, produce bags and shade cloth for agricultural and domestic use.

Multiknit is the foremost agricultural netting supplier in Mpumalanga and is not only a market leader in the South African market, but also has global market leadership in decorative and agricultural shade netting fabrics, exporting to more than 60 countries worldwide.

MIC transaction overview

In February 2015, MCP acquired a 27.8% interest in Multiknit