Arlington Capital Partners has completed its acquisition of Gooch & Housego, or G&H, taking the advanced photonics and optical technology company private and providing additional capital to support its expansion across aerospace and defense, industrial, and life sciences markets.
Headquartered in Ilminster, England, G&H employs approximately 1,000 people across operations in the UK, U.S., and other global locations. The company designs and manufactures precision optics and optical systems, acousto- and electro-optics, fiber optics, and thin-film coating technologies.
G&H’s products are used in technically demanding applications including directed-energy and counter-UAS systems, precision navigation in GPS-denied environments, semiconductor fabrication, subsea and space communications, medical devices, and diagnostic instrumentation.
Under Arlington’s ownership, G&H plans to increase investment in organic growth and expand manufacturing capacity across its existing U.S. and UK centers of excellence. The companies said those investments are expected to support continued expansion of G&H’s aerospace and defense business while strengthening its industrial and life sciences operations.
Arlington also expects to support G&H in pursuing strategic acquisitions at greater scale as the company develops a broader global photonics and optics platform.
Founded in 1948, G&H has spent more than 75 years developing technologies focused on controlling, manipulating, and focusing light for applications where precision, performance, reliability, and quality are critical.
Arlington specializes in investments involving government-regulated industries and has experience backing highly engineered aerospace and defense, industrial technology, and healthcare manufacturing businesses. The firm plans to apply that sector expertise and its experience operating in the UK and European markets to G&H’s next phase of development.
G&H CEO Charlie Peppiatt will continue leading the company as it transitions to private ownership. Management expects the new structure to provide greater flexibility to invest in employees, technologies, manufacturing capacity, and acquisitions while continuing to serve customers across its existing markets.
J.P. Morgan served as financial advisor to Arlington, while Kirkland & Ellis served as legal advisor. Rothschild and Investec advised G&H on the transaction, and Burges Salmon served as G&H’s legal advisor.
KEY QUOTES:
“G&H occupies a unique position at the intersection of advanced photonics, precision manufacturing, and some of the most important technology applications of the coming decades. The Company’s technologies play critical roles across defense, communications and life sciences markets where performance, reliability and technical precision are paramount. With deep sector expertise and experience working in the UK and European markets, we are excited to partner with Charlie Peppiatt and the leadership team to provide long-term capital and strategic resources to accelerate G&H’s growth.”
Peter Manos, Managing Partner At Arlington Capital Partners
“Becoming a private company marks an exciting new chapter for G&H. Arlington understands the highly technical markets in which we operate and shares our conviction in the long-term potential for our unique technology. With committed capital and strategic support, we will have greater flexibility to invest in our people, technologies and manufacturing capabilities, pursue strategic acquisitions at scale and continue delivering innovative solutions for customers across aerospace & defense, industrial and life sciences markets. We look forward to building on G&H’s heritage and accelerating our growth globally.”
Charlie Peppiatt, Chief Executive Officer Of G&H
“G&H has spent more than 75 years developing technologies that solve extraordinarily complex challenges by controlling, manipulating and focusing light with exceptional precision. Consistent with Arlington’s growth-oriented investment philosophy, we are excited to leverage G&H’s deep expertise to build a world-class photonics and optics platform while maintaining the scientific precision and technical excellence that have defined the Company for decades.”
Ben Ramundo, Managing Director At Arlington Capital Partners
