Acquisition on the cards for Inspecs

Eyewear manufacturer and distributor, Inspecs Group plc, has reached an agreement for recommended acquisition by Bidco 1125 Limited.

Bidco, a private limited company, was established recently for the purpose of the acquisition, by Luke Johnson, and Ian Livingstone.

Johnson has chaired and founded various companies including private equity firm, Risk Capital Partners, which has invested in a range of industries. He invested in the company earlier in 2025.

Ian Livingstone has experience of retail and consumer-facing business, including in the optical sector where he was previously chairman of the Optika Clulow chain, owning more than 200 stories including David Clulow and Sunglasses Hut.

The pair also established Bidco’s parent company, Midco, and the company Topco.

Inspecs Group was floated on the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in 2020.

Commenting on the acquisition, Christopher Hancock, senior independent director and acting chair of Inspecs, said following the entry of the business to AIM, “founder, Robin Totterman, and his management team used its listed status to build a leading optics business operating on three continents.”

“In recent years, however, the group has faced the challenges of a consolidating marketplace, a weak European economy and US tariffs. Whilst the group has begun to make progress integrating and streamlining its international operations and has built additional capacity in its Vietnam production facility, we believe that the next phase of the group’s journey is best travelled as a private company,” he shared.

Inspecs’ interim results, published in September, noted that revenue for the first half of 2025 decreased 3% to £97.6m.

At the time, Richard Peck, CEO of Inspecs, remarked on the business’ experience of “widely reported macro-challenges, including ongoing tariff disruption and subdued consumer confidence.”

Commenting on the recommended acquisition Hancock noted that Johnson and Livingstone’s “entrepreneurial expertise, financial resources and vision for Inspecs” present an “exciting opportunity for the group to continue to develop and grow.”

“Following careful consideration, therefore, the board is recommending this cash offer from the consortium because it offers a positive outcome for all stakeholders, including customers, employees and shareholders,” he concluded.