This is how Dorthe Lund describes her experience of Business Brokers in connection with the sale of Kær.dk's five companies to the welfare group Carelink Gruppen A/S.

Buyer and seller found each other

Dorthe and Jes Lund established Kær.dk in 2010 and have built up the business around providing private home care in five municipalities in Central and Western Jutland with approximately 200 employees. They had a deliberate strategy to sell and had been in dialogue with Carelink Gruppen for a couple of years before Business Broker involved.

"We either had to sell or play with someone bigger than ourselves if we wanted to move on. We like to start something and make it grow," explains Dorthe Lund.

Professional advisor for a safe process

In the fall of 2024, things got serious. Dorthe and Jes Lund quickly agreed with the board that they needed a professional advisor who could lead a structured sales process. Someone who could speak the same language as the buyer, which is Denmark's largest welfare group.

"We've tried to complete a merger with a smaller company before and it wasn't that simple, even though we have a good accountant. This time we wanted someone who could ensure that we got through the process correctly and perhaps also help us get a different price and terms than we could negotiate ourselves," says Dorthe Lund.

There were several tasks that needed to be solved in the transaction:

• A partner in Kær.dk from a previous merger was to be bought out.
• A reinvestment model had to be negotiated.
• The sales value had to be optimized for each of the five companies that were sold.
• Dorthe Lund needed a new management contract.

Seller was confident throughout the process

As always, Business Broker a team of two advisors: Claus Bruun and Ole Jensen.

"When there are several owners selling, we have to deal with some emotional issues to get a good and fair deal for all shareholders. It's important to make sure that the transaction can be approved by all owners," says Ole Jensen.

The process went exactly as Dorthe Lund had wanted, and especially during due diligence, when the buyer asks a lot of questions, Dorthe Lund felt well supported.

"From our first meeting with Business Broker we Business Broker being guided, and we felt incredibly secure in everything that happened. They are very competent people who know what they are talking about. During due diligence , we due diligence kept well informed at all times, and if we had any questions, we got quick answers," says Dorthe Lund.

Got to know his company better

Along the way, she got to know her business better and understood what even small adjustments could do to the valuation of a business.

Dorthe and her team focused on creating a better financial result in 2024 so that the share price could be optimized and managed to agree on an improved valuation during the process. In addition, a good ownership agreement and terms for the reinvestment in Carelink were negotiated.

Carelink provides services to the social, healthcare and employment sectors, but has not previously operated home care. Now they have not only acquired Kær.dk's companies in Skive, Struer, Lemvig, Herning and Ikast-Brande municipalities, but also in a separate transaction acquired Privatplejen in Aalborg, Jammerbugt and Esbjerg municipalities.

Happy to continue as director and co-owner

Private home care has been gathered in a new division, Carelink Pleje A/S, of which Dorthe and Jes Lund have acquired 35 percent. Dorthe will also become CEO and will work for continued growth - both organically and through acquisitions. She enjoys this very much.

"It's very inspiring to be in the company of people in the management and staff who can add new energy, knowledge and sparring. The Carelink Group has a large hinterland with 78 municipalities in its customer base, so there are many good relationships we can draw on," she says.

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