Case Study
Melers Oy
Commercial laundry services — Turku, Finland
Melers Oy is a profitable, two-location commercial laundry in Turku, operating since 1967 and under current ownership for over 30 years. It serves care homes, hotels, and households with stable margins.
Laundry is an essential, recession-resilient service. Melers has built long-term customer relationships through quality and consistency.
With operations largely manual, there is clear potential to introduce modern systems and improve efficiency without changing what customers value.
We acquired Melers in December 2025 as the first asset in our long-term portfolio.
1967
Founded
2
Locations
>20%
Margins
<100
Days to close
01
Discovery
Sourced through our broker network and evaluated against our core criteria.
An essential service business with recurring B2B demand, strong margins, and a founder approaching retirement without a succession plan.
Most opportunities do not pass. This one did.
02
Due Diligence
We verified that the earnings were real.
Customer concentration, cost structure, equipment condition, staffing stability, and cash flow durability were reviewed in detail. Multiple site visits and direct discussions with the owners confirmed operational resilience.
We do not buy revenue. We buy cash flow.
03
Negotiation
Acquired at a sensible multiple relative to earnings.
The structure aligned incentives through a multi-year earn-out and preserved strong debt coverage from operating cash flow. Terms were designed to protect continuity for customers, staff, and the founding team.
04
Close
Less than 100 days from first contact to ownership transfer.
A structured handover ensured knowledge transfer, operational stability, and retention of key relationships.
05
Strengthening
Post-acquisition focus has been on introducing structure and modern systems.
Financial reporting has been standardised. Workflow and routing processes are being optimised. Digital tools are being implemented where they improve efficiency.
The business retains its name, local identity, and long-standing customer relationships.
Askel Ventures
We acquire profitable, essential businesses and operate them for the long term.
If you are a founder exploring succession or an investor aligned with our strategy, we welcome a confidential conversation.
Helsinki, Finland