M&A: Sustainable Telecom Network Provider TXO Acquires Teqport

TXO, backed by private equity firm TowerBrook Capital Partners, has acquired Teqport -- a network services provider that has asset recovery and decommissioning expertise. The deal is designed to further boost TXO's circular economy solutions in the networking market. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

This is M&A deal number 26 that Sustainable Tech Partner has covered so far in 2024. See all M&A deals involving sustainability, climate tech and green IT services listed here.

Teqport, founded in 2007, is based in Solingen, Düsseldorf, Germany. The company has roughly 25 employees. Teqport's decommissioning and asset recovery expertise "help operators streamline their infrastructure, leading to cost & energy savings and an overall improvement in the quality of the network," the company said. Sebastian Neubeck, co-founder and CEO of Teqport, will lead TXO's expanded German operation.

Key Teqport services, according to the company's website, include:

• Copper Cables: Recover, remove and break down copper cables from decommissioned networks, and sell the granulate that is recovered.
• Infrastructure: The bulk of the decommissioned mobile or landline network infrastructure is recycled. Selected components are sold or offered for reuse in-house.
• IT Hardware: Everything from transport solutions to certified data deletion, from purchasing to recycling.
• Mobile: Through a relationship with Foxway GmbH, the company offers trade-in programs for mobile devices (smartphones, mobile phones, tablets), including certified data erasure for private and business customers.

TXO's Sustainable Networking Business: Key Details

TXO, founded in 2005, is based in Chepstow, Wales. The company now has roughly 365 employees. TXO provides telecom network hardware and asset management services --  for the sourcing, maintenance, reuse, recycling and disposal of communications infrastructure. 

TXO offers asset recovery solutions for clientele in such sectors as telecom services; data centers; utilities; oil, gas & renewable energy; and civil, government & critical communications. The company also stocks roughly one million parts for multi-vendor networking equipment.

This is TXO's second acquisition in the past month or so. The other deal involved acquiring Lynx for decommissioning, asset management, engineering and test and repair services. 

TXO Acquires Teqport: Executive Perspectives

In a prepared statement about the deal, TXO CEO Darren Pearce said: “Combining with Teqport in Germany and joining forces with Sebastian Neubeck and his leadership team show TXO is getting bigger, bolder and better as it prepares to take on 2024. We aim to become the premier circular economy services provider for the global telecoms industry. Alongside the acquisition of Lynx UK and several additions to our leadership team at the end of last year, this move shows that TXO is taking its vision for the circular economy in global telecoms up a gear.”

Added Teqport Co-founder and CEO Sebastian Neubeck: “By becoming part of the TXO family, the Teqport team will continue to support businesses with vital equipment recovery, decommissioning and recycling services. We’ve had significant success in doing this with our proprietary project management and service delivery software, ‘Reversys’, and under the TXO banner, we will push towards our shared goal of driving a more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly telecoms industry.”

Network Services Provider M&A: Where Private Equity Fits In

Private equity firm TowerBrook Capital Partners has owned a majority stake in TXO since April 2023.

TowerBrook has raised $22.8 million since inception. The company typically invests in such sectors as consumer (sourcing, manaufacturing and distribution of consumer goods and services), financial services, healthcare, industrials, and TMS (technology, media and services).