EC Electronics strengthens UK manufacturing capability with acquisition of Fastlink Data Cables
Rockpool Investments is pleased to announce that portfolio company EC Electronics, a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider, has acquired Fastlink Data Cables Ltd.
The acquisition brings Fastlink’s specialist cable assembly expertise, established customer base and experienced workforce into the EC Electronics Group, while expanding the Group’s presence in high-growth sectors including data centres, defence and aerospace. This represents EC’s fourth acquisition since Rockpool’s investment in 2022, following the successful integration of Swan EMS in 2022, Liad Electronics in 2024 and, more recently, Gwent Electronic Materials earlier this year.
Fastlink Data Cables is a Swindon-based specialist in cable assembly and box build. The company employs 54 people and generates annual revenues of approximately £6 million.
EC Electronics Group customers will now have access to a wider range of Electronics Manufacturing Services including PCB assembly, cable assembly, box build, overmoulding and potting, helping to simplify supply chains and support future growth. With manufacturing facilities across the UK, the Netherlands and Romania, EC Electronics provides customers with the scale, flexibility and resilience needed to support increasingly complex global supply chains.
The addition of Fastlink further strengthens EC Electronics’ position in attractive, high-growth markets. Increasing demand for AI-driven data centre infrastructure, combined with continued investment across defence and aerospace, creates significant opportunities for the combined group.
This latest acquisition demonstrates EC Electronics’ continued commitment to growth through strategic M&A, and reflects the pace and ambition with which Phil Simmonds and the team are executing the Group’s buy-and-build strategy.
“The acquisition marks a further step in EC Electronics’ strategy of building a scalable, high-mix electronics manufacturing platform serving blue-chip customers across defence, industrial and data centre markets. We look forward to supporting Richard and the team with their continued growth.”
Phil Simmonds, Executive Chairman of EC Electronics“Joining EC Electronics is an exciting next chapter for Fastlink and our team. We share the same commitment to quality, engineering excellence and outstanding customer service, and becoming part of a larger group gives us the scale, capacity and reach to say yes to more of the opportunities our customers are bringing us, backed by a supportive partner in Rockpool Investments. I’m looking forward to building on everything the team has achieved and helping our customers grow.”
Richard Joynson, Sales Director of FastlinkAdvisers
EC Electronics was advised by Roxburgh Milkins (Buyside Legals), Winston Taylor (Group Legals), Emerson Advisors (Financial DD), and Anderson Barrowcliff (Tax DD).
