Claremont boss leads buyout of furniture maker

Mike Gardner, managing director of Warrington-based commercial fit-out firm Claremont, has led a takeover of Logic Office Group for £1m.

The deal will see the existing Logic management team acquire a 40% stake in the business, with 60% held by a consortium headed by Gardner and including Black Arrow Group plc, the AIM-listed parent of Logic. Logic Office Group will trade privately as a new company.

The business employs about 60 staff across three sites – Hounslow, Rotheram and Sevenoaks – and there are no plans for redundancies.

Gardner has built Claremont Group Interiors from a £2m to a £25m a year company. He said: "I want to use the knowledge I have accumulated in building Claremont Group Interiors to progress the development and expansion of Logic Office Group.

"I have a track record of spotting the potential of a business and growing it and am very confident of being able to repeat that success with this opportunity.

"This is a deal designed to bring positive change to Logic Office Group and I will be working with the management team to grow the business."

Gardner will remain as MD of Claremont, which was not otherwise involved in the deal.