Marlowe Explores Sale of Fire Safety Services Division Amid Growing Interest in Sector

The division could be valued at up to 16 times its annual profit, amounting to roughly £650m.

Bankers at Rothschild are working with Marlowe on the review, and a process to hold talks with potential bidders has begun.

A sale would leave Marlowe to focus on its higher-margin operations in areas such as compliance software.

There is reported corporate activity in the sector, with buyout firms circling Applus, a Spanish-headquartered company operating in a similar space.

Isquared Capital, an infrastructure investor, is preparing to launch a bid for Applus as soon as next week, potentially valuing the company at roughly €2.2bn including debt.