SGL announced that Bruin Capital has agreed to become the majority shareholder of SGL’s holding company, Playgreen, which SGL is part of together with its technology development sister company Alva.
Over the last 20 years, SGL has developed sustainable and data-driven turfgrass technologies for the biggest sports clubs, stadiums and governing bodies worldwide (Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Green Bay Packers and LA FC, to name a few).
Driven by its dedication to look forward, innovate and improve, last year SGL started to explore opportunities for a partner that could support its vision.
“We sought a partner with the resources and expertise to help us grow globally, particularly in North America, while staying true to our core values and qualities that have been crucial for our leading position in the market,” said Mark Trübenbacher, CEO of Playgreen. “Through a thorough evaluation process, we found Bruin Capital to be the ideal partner. Not only because of their track record for helping digital and technology companies to expand into the U.S., but we also found Bruin to be unique in that they feel genuinely responsible for creating value in the sports industry.”
Founded in 2015 by George Pyne, Bruin is an investment/operating company specializing in global sports. Its collective operations include more than 5,000 employees across five continents. Its work impacts billions of sports fans on behalf of virtually every major sports league, media company, federation and rights holder.
“SGL is a perfect example of how technology has disrupted the sports business,” said Pyne. “A team of visionary entrepreneurs developed a suite of proprietary products and services to become leaders in a sector that never existed, but is now crucial to the commercial ecosystem of our industry. We are extremely happy to become a part of it and support SGL in their mission.”
What has been essential for SGL in this process is that the integrity of the company and business culture remains intact; meaning that, while the ownership structure evolves, leadership will stay in place to secure continuity.
“We’re very proud of how far we’ve come as a company and as a team since our first customer in 2004,” said Frank Van Beusekom, managing director of SGL. “Our success comes from our passion for sports, our drive to innovate and our long-lasting and warm customer relationships. With Bruin Capital as our majority shareholder, we believe we can not only continue building on this foundation but also elevate it to the next level. With our mission to guarantee the highest performing playing surfaces by leading the way in sustainable turfgrass solutions, Bruin’s support enables us to innovate and introduce even more advanced technologies and bring value to a larger demographic.”