Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) M&A and valuations
Supporting compliance-driven businesses to maximise value and achieve successful outcomes.
Corporate Finance
TIC deal activity
Market momentum driving TIC M&A activity
A sector defined by structural resilience and sustained investor appetite
The Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) sector has established itself as one of the most consistently active segments of the European lower mid-market, exhibiting resilient deal volumes and sustained investor appetite across market cycles. Its defensive characteristics and structural growth drivers continue to underpin strong, continued investor interest with a focus on bolt-on consolidation over large transformational transactions.
This sector’s attractiveness is driven by intensifying regulation, rising technical standards and the increasing cost and complexity of compliance across
infrastructure, construction, industrial processes and regulated services.
Core sector attributes — including recurring revenues, non-discretionary service delivery, high switching disruption and significant market fragmentation — continue to attract premium valuations and long-term capital.
The UK TIC sector saw over 30 deals in Q1 2026 across both PE-backed and listed buyers, reflecting the continued demand for resilient target companies. Explore our recent Corporate Finance Deals for further insight into current market activity.
For owners and management teams, this creates a near-term opportunity to realise value through a sale or to scale strategically ahead of an exit
Key deal drivers shaping TIC M&A activity 2026
Aligning growth with exit timing
Areas of enhanced buyer focus
These sub-sectors benefit from structural insulation from economic cycles, driven by regulation and long-term compliance obligations.
Testing
- Materials and product testing
- Food and agriculture
- Environment
- Life sciences
- Electrical and electronics
- Automotive testing
- Non-destructive testing
Inspection
- Statutory inspections
- Building and fire safety
- Asset integrity
- Health and safety
- Environmental and renewables
- Vehicle and transport
- Digital/Remote
Certification
- Management systems
- Product certification
- Food safety
- ESG and sustainability
- Supply chain compliance
- Aerospace
- Materials and product testing
- Food and agriculture
- Environment
- Life sciences
- Electrical and electronics
- Automotive testing
- Non-destructive testing
- Statutory inspections
- Building and fire safety
- Asset integrity
- Health and safety
- Environmental and renewables
- Vehicle and transport
- Digital/Remote
- Management systems
- Product certification
- Food safety
- ESG and sustainability
- Supply chain compliance
- Aerospace
Services
How we can help
Crowe UK provides integrated deal advisory services with a strong emphasis on commercial value, execution certainty and outcomes.
Our team combines transaction experience, sector insight and financial rigour to support clients at every stage of the deal lifecycle, from strategy and preparation through to execution and completion.
Capital Markets
Supporting businesses considering equity raises, shareholder liquidity events and capital structuring, helping position them clearly and credibly for investors, funding discussions and long-term sustainable growth.
Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
Advising on buy-side and sell-side transactions, supporting teams and shareholders with target identification, buyer sourcing, process management and negotiation, maximising value and achieving strategic outcomes.
Valuations
Delivering robust business valuations for statutory and transactional purposes, including purchase price allocations, providing clear insights that support decision-making, reporting requirements and stakeholder confidence.
Due diligence
Going beyond the numbers to assess earnings quality, cashflow, working capital and key commercial risks, providing useful insights to support negotiations, manage risk and inform post-deal planning.
Modelling
Developing flexible financial models to evaluate scenarios, assess performance and support strategic decisions, combining technical accuracy with commercial insight to provide clarity in complex situations.
Debt advisory
Advising on debt raising, refinancing and capital structure optimisation, supporting lender engagement and funding strategy to ensure financing solutions align with business objectives and transaction requirements.
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