ImpactBuilders Industry has started an active scouting round in Estonia and Flanders to identify industrial companies that can be saved, restarted, or turned around. The focus is on classic sectors serving Europe’s day-to-day needs (food & agri, building materials, industrial tools, textiles, etc.).

Who leads it

Kristel Uibo (Estonia) — known for target scouting and on-site factory assessment.

Steven Storms (Flanders) — interim leader with value-chain and operations expertise.

What we’re looking for

Companies facing succession issues, growth stagnation, or loss of focus—situations where a hands-on mandate can restore direction and prepare for European growth and an eventual buy-out.

How we act

Our model is mid-term and hands-on: we step in with board/executive authority, prioritise business development and European supply integration, and work towards an exit to a European capital structure (roughly 9 months of preparation, followed by 3–5 years of implementation).

Who we work with

Alongside our core team, we collaborate with regional firms in financial planning, corporate legal, IT implementation, equity brokers, and private equity. Our advisory council has seasoned advisors such as Martin Kõdar (BaltCap) and Peter Leyman (ex-Volvo) onboard.

Why now

Scouting capacity is live in Tallinn and Flanders, with own target scouts and broker partnerships feeding a growing pipeline. It is a good moment: cross-European potential is underused and valuations remain reasonable.

Call to action

If you are an owner of an industrial SME in Estonia or Flanders, or a services firm or investor active around these cases, we would like to connect. Kristel and Steven are meeting candidates and partners to prepare the next wave of European turnarounds.