Getting back to what really energises you
After 30 years heading up RTS, Ronald Supply and his wife Benedicte Vermeersch were ready to take things a bit easier. With Lieven De Meester and Legia Capital, they brought in two partners who would take their company forward while remaining true to its values. The founders have remained on board and are refocusing on what really energises them.
Making a career of a hobby
Not everyone gets the chance to turn their hobby into a job, but Ronald Supply did. He was really into antennas, transmission equipment, cameras and the like, and made his one-man business, RTS, the place to go for camera surveillance and microwave transmission services. RTS installs a range of systems: professional camera surveillance (CCTV and ANPR), wireless video and data communication, critical radio communication and access control. Its customers are mainly public authorities, the police and large companies in Flanders.
Growth needs a lot of energy
But after 30 years, it was time to shift down a gear. Ronald definitely wanted to carry on playing a technical role, but he knew that the next stage in the company’s expansion would take a lot more energy. His wife Benedicte felt the same way. Combining finance and HR had become a bit too much for her and she wanted to focus on people management. They found a good fit with Legia Capital and Lieven De Meester, who respectively hold a 70/30 stake in RTS.
Two avenues for innovation
Benedicte now works a four-day week, while Ronald focuses on hardware and handling the customers he has served for decades. As the new CEO, Lieven has taken over general management and sales, but in a very pragmatic way. “Ronald and Benedicte are the backbone of RTS. Meanwhile, I’m working on growing the company and on two avenues for innovation: as well as hardware, I want to develop ANPR software and focus on access control. Legia Capital acts as a sounding board for me: They pop by once or twice a month and the quarterly Board of Directors’ meeting is an opportunity for me to think strategically and critically about how things are going.”
Legia Capital acts as a sounding board for me: They pop by once or twice a month and the quarterly Board of Directors’ meeting is an opportunity for me to think strategically and critically about how things are going.
Lieven De Meester, Buy-In Manager and CEO of RTS
Activity:
Installation of professional camera surveillance systems (CCTV and ANPR), wireless video and data communication systems, critical radio communication systems and access control systems.
www.rts.be
Type:
Succession
Investment date:
June 2021
