This week on M&A Zing, Gareth sits down with Jan-Marc Pickhan, a serial acquirer who has built three engineering groups - Allied Global Engineering, GE Engineering, and Suffolk ES Solutions - comprising five companies across the North West and West Midlands.



Jan-Marc’s journey took him from a decade-long corporate career at Schneider Electric in Germany, Switzerland, and France to relocating to the UK to oversee and grow mature owner-led engineering businesses. He discusses:



👉 Cultural transformation: moving from closed, owner-led environments to open, transparent, trust-based workplaces.



👉 Tackling “tribal knowledge” and undocumented processes that threaten operational continuity.



👉 Applying German precision and British grit to leadership - direct, transparent, but adaptable.



👉 Leveraging technology and AI tools (including Microsoft Copilot) to solve problems, speed up processes, and cut costs.



👉  Navigating the skilled labour shortage in UK manufacturing and the need to invest in training pipelines.



👉 The reality of post-acquisition transformation: restructuring, bottleneck removal, and strategic automation.



👉 Why getting hands-on in every role post-acquisition accelerates understanding and builds credibility with teams.



If you’re considering acquiring a traditional SME—particularly in engineering—this episode offers candid insights into the challenges and opportunities of transforming these businesses for the future.



Timestamps

[00:00 ] Introduction to Jan-Marc Pickhan and his acquisition journey

[01:23 ] From Schneider Electric to UK SME ownership

[03:31 ] Overview of the three engineering groups acquired

[05:09 ] Leadership style – German precision meets British grit

[06:50 ] Building a culture of openness and trust

[09:04 ] Fixing owner-led, “tribal knowledge” businesses

[11:44 ] Common bottlenecks in back-office and production

[14:27 ] Why engineering SMEs? The undervalued backbone of UK industry

[17:20 ] Seller profiles and succession realities

[19:02 ] Buying transformation opportunities vs. turnkey businesses

[20:17 ] The ongoing journey of transformation

[22:30 ] Engineering at a crossroads – traditional vs. transformative

[26:06 ] Adopting AI tools like Microsoft Copilot in manufacturing

[31:29 ] Skilled labour shortages and recruitment challenges

[36:44 ] Advice to past self: directors should work in the business early

[40:39 ] Immersive leadership – learning from the shop floor

[44:33 ] Cultivating continuous improvement from within

[45:21 ] Goals for the next 12 months – automation and efficiency

[46:13 ] How to connect with Jan-Marc and his message for sellers



Useful Links & Resources:



Connect with Jan-Marc Pickhan on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janmarcpickhan



Join the BizCrunch Acquisition Community

https://www.bizcrunch.co/community