British electronics group discoverIE announced that it has agreed to acquire Trival Antene, a Slovenian manufacturer of specialised communication antennae and masts used primarily in defence and professional applications.

The takeover, which remains subject to regulatory clearance, marks discoverIE’s first acquisition centred on the security market.

The company said last week it will pay an initial €45.5mn in cash on a debt-free, cash-free basis, financed through existing debt facilities.

The agreement also includes up to €1.65mn in deferred consideration payable 12 months after completion, and an earn-out worth as much as €5.5mn contingent on Trival’s performance through March 31, 2028.

Founded in 1965, Trival supplies antennae for handheld, mobile, manpack and fixed radio systems, selling into around 70 countries. DiscoverIE said the acquisition fits its strategy of expanding in long-term growth sectors, including security, while giving other group businesses access to Trival’s broad international customer base.

Once completed, Trival will join the Group’s Connectivity operating unit within the Sensing & Connectivity division, maintaining its brand and management team. The Slovenian company reported unaudited revenues of €12.7mn for the 12 months to end-2024, with an operating margin well above discoverIE’s medium-term target of 17%.

DiscoverIE expects the transaction to be accretive to adjusted earnings and operating margin from day one. Including the recently signed acquisition of Keymat Technology, the group’s pro-forma gearing at end-September 2025 will rise from 1.3x to 1.8x—still within its target range. The company said it retains substantial headroom in its extended debt facilities and continues to see a strong pipeline of future acquisition opportunities.

Commenting on the deal, discoverIE chief executive Nick Jefferies said the acquisition would further strengthen the group’s international, high-margin electronics portfolio.

“This transaction brings another high-quality business into discoverIE and is our first focused mainly on our security target market. We welcome the team and very much look forward to working with them,” he said.