Letraset MBO

Meta Corporate Finance announces the management buy-out of the business and assets of Letraset.

Since 1981 Letraset has been owned by Esselte AB, the global office products manufacturer. The management team of Martin Gibbs and Mike Travers have been with Letraset since the 1970s, a time when Letraset was particularly famous for its dry-transfer product. More recently they have led the development of the worldwide distribution of products from the Ashford, Kent manufacturing base.

Martin Gibbs, Letraset’s Managing Director, said, "Letraset® is a globally recognised brand name. Our ongoing partnership with Pantone Inc, whereby we manufacture and market products under the "PANTONE® by LETRASET" branding, ensures our ability to continue to provide the graphic art industry with high quality colour products employing the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM®. Moreover, we are now free to develop new products and exploit electronic commerce and other distribution channels to deliver creative opportunities to a much broader customer base."

Mark Ledger-Beadell, Managing Director of Meta Corporate Finance, said "I am very pleased that we have been able to structure a transaction supported by both Fortis Bank SA-NV and GLE Development Capital so that Martin and Mike can take true ownership of the business they have managed for many years".

Fortis Bank provided both term loan and mezzanine facilities whilst GLE invested funds from both TriVen and TriVest (Venture Capital Trusts whose funds are managed by GLE) for a minority stake. The bank’s team included Peter Wright and Lisa Jessup. Jonathan Gregory led the GLE team.

 

PANTONE® and other Pantone, Inc trademarks are the property of Pantone, Inc.

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