Founders' Forum | From factory floor to final sign-off

When Ron King founded Allmesh Engineering Pty Ltd in 1981, he had a clear goal: to design and manufacture world-class material handling equipment tailored to the Australian market. Over four decades later, under its rebranded name, East West Engineering had grown to become Australia and New Zealand's leading provider of forklift attachments and related equipment, serving critical industries such as construction, infrastructure, warehousing, manufacturing, farming and mining.

In June 2024, after more than 40 years at the helm, Ron made the decision to sell the business. He began working with corporate advisers to explore his options and quickly attracted interest from buyers aligned with his business' values. As the deal process progressed, it became clear that early legal support would be essential. On his corporate adviser's recommendation, Ron engaged Lander & Rogers. What followed was a complex, high-value transaction that required deep strategic and legal support.

"I had no idea how complex it would be"

While Ron approached the sale with a lifetime of experience in engineering and operations, he was the first to admit that the legal and commercial complexities were outside his comfort zone.

"As an engineer, I'd never dealt with something like this before," he says. "I thought it was just a matter of finding a buyer and signing some paperwork. I had no idea how much was involved."

"They (corporate advisers) had worked with Deanna before and said she was patient and approachable — exactly what I needed," he says.

With guidance from Deanna Constable and the M&A team at Lander & Rogers, Ron ensured a successful transition. Not only for himself, but for his employees, long-standing clients and the legacy of the business he had built.

Clarity in every conversation

From the outset, the Lander & Rogers team focused on guiding Ron through the process with clarity and care. Complex legal discussions were translated into accessible, actionable steps.

"We'd be in meetings with six or more people, and I'd have to say, 'Sorry, I don't understand that.' Deanna would stop, explain it clearly, and only continue when I was comfortable. That made all the difference," he recalls.

Strategic negotiation in high-stakes discussions

Arbor Permanent Owners brought strong values and a long-term vision that resonated with Ron's aspirations for the company's future and the future success of his long-standing employees. While initial negotiations presented the typical complexities of mergers and acquisitions, Deanna's calm professionalism fostered a collaborative dialogue, leading to a mutually beneficial agreement.

"They came in with a firm position," Ron explains. "But Deanna handled it with calm professionalism."

Lander & Rogers also helped Ron track key concessions throughout the process, enabling him to manage the flow of negotiations with confidence and reciprocity.

"It was a game of give and take, but with strategy behind it. I hadn't thought about that before."

Preparing for due diligence

As part of the transaction, Landers worked closely with Ron and his accountant to manage the due diligence process, coordinating the legal review of operations, financials, and compliance documentation. In that process, gaps in legal disclosure and the need for further explanation to the buyer were identified and practical steps taken under the Landers teams' guidance to mitigate any negative impact on the deal and the commercial terms.

"It was a significant amount of work across the board," Ron says. "But the way it was handled—thorough, transparent, and well-documented—meant the buyers and their investors had full confidence in what they were acquiring. That feedback meant a lot."

Seamless execution through complexity

Like many significant transactions, the final stages of the deal required careful coordination across multiple parties. With various commercial, legal and operational elements to align, attention to detail and steady guidance were essential.

"The Landers team managed the complexity with calm and professionalism," Ron says. "They were across every detail, understood the financial and commercial aspects of the deal with ease, and were always a step ahead, which gave me great confidence."

For Ron, it was reassuring to know that the legal team was not only handling the technical side of the transaction, but also ensuring the entire process was progressing smoothly toward completion.

Life beyond the business

Selling East West Engineering was never going to be an ordinary transaction. For Ron, it meant stepping back from a company he had built from scratch and led for more than 40 years.

True to form, Ron is now building a new factory—this time with his son. "It's a giant man cave with all the gear. Just because I sold the business doesn't mean I'm done creating things."

At a glance

Organisation: East West Engineering (owned by Allmesh Engineering Pty Ltd)

Established: 1981

Headquarters: Sydney, Australia

Purpose: Designing and manufacturing forklift attachments and material handling equipment to enhance productivity across industries such as construction, infrastructure, warehousing, manufacturing, farming, and mining.

Founded by: Ron King

Advised by: Lander & Rogers' M&A group (Deanna Constable)

Reflections from Lander & Rogers

At Lander & Rogers, we recognise that clear and effective communication is paramount when guiding founders through the complexities of business transactions. Deanna Constable, Partner, Lander & Rogers emphasises this approach:

"Ron was an expert in his field, but like many founders, he hadn't been through a sale process before. Our job was to make the complex understandable and to support him at every stage, from first briefing to final signature."

"Ron brought such humility and practicality to the process. He asked thoughtful questions, was transparent with information, and remained focused on looking after his team and customers throughout. It was a privilege to be part of his journey."