Alantra advised GI Solutions Group Limited on the acquisition of Eclipse Colour Print Limited

Jan 2017

Buy-side advisory

Alantra has advised the shareholders of GI Solutions Group on the acquisition of Eclipse Colour Print, Eclipse 4DM and Direct Link for an undisclosed sum. This is in line with the company’s desire to be the UK’s leading integrated marketing communications business.

Based in Leicester, GI Solutions Group is a long established provider of creative, data, direct mail and transactional document services to many high street names and brands. GI Solutions is backed by Stratford-upon-Avon based, GIL Investments.

The Eclipse group of companies, owned by Simon Moore, is a leading provider of commercial print, print management and direct mail services to a broad range of multi-channel retailers, charities and business customers. Eclipse is based in Kettering, Northamptonshire.

The combined group will generate around £80m of revenue per annum and is a significant employer in the East Midlands.All the companies will continue to trade on their existing sites led by their existing management. The group is also pleased to announce the appointment of Sotos Constantinides as their new Chief Finance Officer.

“This is a fantastic result for all concerned” said CEO Patrick Headley “we have admired what Simon and the team have achieved for a long time.We are absolutely delighted we can now all work together with an ability to offer our customers an even wider range of services.The synergies are very strong and the whole team at GI are very excited about the future.”

“I am delighted to be working with GI Solutions Group” said Moore, “as a business we have come a long way since we started the company.This deal will give both our customers and ourselves many more options moving forward.”

“This ticks a number of boxes for the Group and we are delighted to have Simon joining the board” continues Headley “we had strong growth aspirations when we completed the MBO last March and expect to be able to announce further exciting developments in the near future”.

The acquisitions were financed by the Midlands team of HSBC Corporate and Tosca Debt Capital LLP.