Profast Group CEO Stephen Clarke, along with fellow executives Jonathan Aiken and Craig Milne, has acquired the group from shareholders, according to the Newry Reporter of Northern Ireland. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Founded in 1956, Belfast-based Profast operates three trading subsidiaries: Profast (NI) Limited, Profast Limited and Fortus Hardware Limited. The group also operates in Dublin.

The deal will make Profast Ireland’s biggest distributor of fasteners, fixings and mechanical support systems, according to the Newry Reporter.

“When I joined Profast Group seven years ago, I always had the ambition to lead the business into the future but was unsure of the options available to support such aspirations,” stated Clarke. “This partnership will enable us to elevate the business to the next level, expanding our national & international reach while staying true to the values that define us as a local company.”

Profast’s fasteners and fixings have been used on iconic Belfast projects including the RISE sculpture on the Broadway roundabout and Translink’s new Grand Central Station.

The deal was funded by the £70million Investment Fund for Northern Ireland.