Who is Bridgeport Capital?
Bridgeport Capital is a private equity firm based in Australia.
Bridgeport Capital
- Type
- private equity firm
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Website
- bridgeportcapital.com.au
- Company page
How they work
Bridgeport Capital is a leading Australian mid-market private equity fund manager (Bridgeport Capital Management Pty Ltd, AFSL 219140), based in Sydney and founded in 2015 by Managing Directors David Plumridge and Brendan Sulway. It provides succession, buyout and growth capital to Australian and New Zealand companies with EBITDA typically between $5m and $30m p.a., and is the successor of Hawkesbridge Private Equity's private-equity unit, acquired in August 2016.
Once invested, Bridgeport takes an active, non-executive board seat, involved in strategic direction such as M&A, bank financing, organisational design and reporting, but not day-to-day operations. It backs the incumbent management team with capital and experience, linking their reward to investment returns. It supports buy-and-build growth through bolt-on acquisitions inside a portfolio company's existing market segment, alongside organic growth initiatives. Bridgeport does not publish a first-contact process, a diligence checklist or a stage-by-stage deal timeline.
- Sector focus
- Invests across Industrials, Consumer, Health Care, Information Technology and Financials, in established Australian/NZ businesses with a strong management team, growth potential and a clear competitive advantage, seeking succession funding, management buyouts or growth capital.
- Geography
- Head office and majority of operations located in Australia or New Zealand.
- Ownership
- Takes active, non-executive Board positions -- involved in strategic direction (M&A, bank finance, organisational design, reporting) but does not interfere in day-to-day operations; backs incumbent management teams with capital and experience and links their rewards to investment returns.
- Platform or bolt-on
- Supports buy-and-build strategies via bolt-on acquisitions within a portfolio company's existing market segment, alongside organic growth-capital initiatives.
- Target EBITDA
- Stable historical EBITDA greater than $5 million p.a., typically between $5m and $30m p.a.
- Founder ownership
- Founder-led: Bridgeport Capital was founded in 2015 (per its LinkedIn company profile) and is run by Managing Directors David Plumridge (20 years' PE experience) and Brendan Sulway (17 years' PE experience), both named as the firm's principals on its team page.
Their portfolio
- SectorBottled/bulk water beverages (FMCG)What they doAustralian Beverage Holdings owns Australia's leading pure water brand, Pureau, and is the market leader in bulk water (5L and 10L casks) sold through major retail outlets across Australia.
- SectorHospitality & venue catering managementWhat they doTrippas White Group is a leader in the Australian hospitality industry, managing a diverse portfolio of restaurant, corporate, education, airline, cafe and event spaces at iconic locations including the Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo and the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
- SectorHigh-voltage electrical network construction & renewable energy infrastructureWhat they doUCS Group (Underground Cable Systems) specialises in the design and construction of high voltage electrical networks and renewable energy solutions across Australia.
Exited holdings
Confirmed former portfolio companies, shown separately from current holdings.
- SectorIndustrial bulk packaging (FIBCs) & bulk-handling solutionsWhat they doBulk Handling Australia supplies flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), bulk bags and related industrial packaging products to the mining, fertiliser, chemical and food-manufacturing sectors. (exited)
- Exact RadiologySectorDiagnostic medical imagingWhat they doExact Radiology operated a network of diagnostic-imaging clinics in South East Queensland, Australia, providing MRI, CT, ultrasound, X-ray and nuclear-medicine services; it was acquired by Carlisle Health on 23 May 2023. (exited)
- SectorFacilities/premises management & commercial cleaning servicesWhat they doIntegrated Premises Services is a premises-management company providing building cleaning and maintenance services to major Australian corporates; it was created in 2006 via a merger of three specialist premises-management firms facilitated by Hawkesbridge Private Equity. (exited)
- RecovreSectorWorkplace injury management & occupational rehabilitation servicesWhat they doRecovre provides occupational rehabilitation and workplace injury-management services across Australia, including return-to-work and workplace wellbeing programs; it now operates as a business of Marsh. (exited)
Sources
- bridgeportcapital.com.au · portfolio page
- au.linkedin.com · research
- bridgeportcapital.com.au · research
- bridgeportcapital.com.au · research
- bridgeportcapital.com.au · research
- bridgeportcapital.com.au · research
- bridgeportcapital.com.au · website