ECI Partners invests in Make It Cheaper

October 26, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

Private equity firm ECI Partners has acquired Make It Cheaper, a company that helps SME business customers compare and change their service providers, with a specific focus on the energy, telecoms and insurance sectors. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Make it cheaperMake It Cheaper, which has appeared three times in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100, posted turnover of £12.6 million last year and generated an operating profit of £1.62 million. The business was founded by CEO Jonathan Elliott in 2007 and now employs 175 staff.

Richard Chapman, head of business services at ECI commented, “Make It Cheaper’s motivated and experienced executive team have built a fantastic company that helps businesses save time and money. We are delighted to partner with Jonathan and the team, to help the Company scale up its customer acquisition and multi-product platform, and realise its potential for further growth.”

UK, London

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Zinc Media Group to acquire Tern Television Productions

October 25, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

ZincZinc Media Group plc, the TV and multimedia content producer, is to acquire Tern Television Productions Limited, for up to £5.45 million.

In the financial year ended 31 March 2017, Tern’s turnover was approximately £5.3m with profit before tax of approximately £0.3m.

Zinc Media will pay an initial £2 million for Tern, plus £1.1 million for surplus cash and an earnout consideration of up to £2.35 million.

Zinc is raising £3.5m before expenses in an oversubscribed share placing to pay for the deal.

Peter Bertram, Zinc Media’s Chairman, said, “We are delighted to announce this key acquisition for Zinc Media and are delighted to welcome the highly regarded Tern Television team into the Company. We believe this acquisition will place us in a strong position to further expand and grow in an industry which is experiencing ever-increasing demand for original content, due to the rapid growth of connected devices and new TV platforms.”

Tern, established in 1988, is an independent TV production company specialising in factual TV production. The company has key production bases in Scotland and Northern Ireland and typically produces over sixty hours of TV annually for UK broadcasters, including the BBC, Channel 4 and Sky 1, as well as international broadcasters such as Discovery, PBS and National Geographic Channels.  It has won numerous awards including BAFTAs, Prix Italia, Royal Television Society awards and a Cine Golden Eagle. Tern has a profitable track record and reported an increased turnover of approximately £5.3m in the financial year ended 31 March 2017, up from approximately £4.4m in the year ended 31 March 2016.  

UK, Scotland, Edinburgh & Aberdeen

 

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ReedPOP acquires MCM Comic Con.

October 23, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

reedpop MCMReedPOP, a Reed Exhibitions business that organises and manages events in the pop culture world, has acquired UK based MCM Comic Con. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

In 2017 MCM Comic Con shows run in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool and Belfast. The company boasted nearly 300,000 pop culture fans and cosplayers attend the events throughout the year.

“For nearly a decade I’ve watched with great admiration as the MCM brand grew in size, scale and quality, as well as in the hearts and minds of UK fans. I could not be more proud and humbled to team up with the MCM team to bring two world-class pop culture event companies together,” said Lance Fensterman, Global Head of ReedPOP. “The addition of the MCM brand extends the reach and influence of the ReedPOP portfolio and further solidifies our place as the number one producer of fan events across the globe. We cannot wait to work with the MCM team to build even bigger and better events for fans in the UK.”

MCM Comic Con was co-founded by Bryan Cooney premiering the show in 2002 as the London Expo. In 2004, it rebranded as London MCM Expo – the ‘MCM’ standing for ‘Movies, Comics, Media’; and in 2005, it took the first steps that would change it from a collectors’ and autograph event into a comic con, with the addition of dedicated comics and anime areas plus film and TV content. More recent years saw MCM launch events across the UK.

USA, Norwalk, CT & UK, Northamptonshire

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Investis acquires ZOG Digital

October 19, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

ZOG 1Digital communications company Investis, a portfolio company of private equity company ECI, has acquired digital marketing agency ZOG Digital. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ZOG Digital, based in Phoenix, USA and founded in 2011, provides key digital marketing services, including search engine optimisation, content strategy, paid media and social marketing. The business is ranked by Forrester as one of the top 10 US search marketing agencies. Clients include Whirlpool, Fruit of the Loom, Wyndham Vacation Rentals and Del Monte.

Investis, headquartered in London, has more than 500 employees globally. With the ZOG Digital acquisition, the company’s US presence will grow to over 100 employees, split between Phoenix and the company’s US headquarters in New York City.

“Digital is at the heart of everything we do,” said Investis CEO Don Scales. “With this acquisition, we define end-to-end content strategy, drive new visibility and amplify influence and engagement across all channels and platforms. Our roots in the investor relations space give us a unique perspective on creating the next-generation digital communications company. ZOG Digital’s capabilities, in particular, will benefit our corporate clients globally.”

“Don’s track record as a top operator and global executive in the digital industry gives new velocity to the vision, client success and company culture we have built at ZOG,” said Jeff Herzog, ZOG Digital founder/CEO. “Together the companies will help corporate communicators establish new trusted and valuable relationships between brands and audiences. The ability to deliver connected content will open up new markets in the US and throughout Europe.”

Herzog will join Investis as an advisor and resident futurist, helping identify growth opportunities for the company.

Richard Chapman, Partner at ECI and a Board Director at Investis commented, “We are delighted to have backed Don and the team at Investis to make this acquisition. In our experience we have found strategic investments such as this one to be powerful growth drivers.”

Uk, London, & USA, New York & USA, Phoenix, AZ

 

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Mark Allen Group to acquire Community Care from RBI

October 11, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

MAGMA Education, a part of the Mark Allen Group, is to acquire Community Care, from Reed Business Information, part of RELX Group. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Community Care is a digital, subscription-based resource for social workers. It works through two platforms: Community Care Inform Children and Community Care Inform Adults.

For Mark Allen himself Community Care has come full circle. He was the launch editor in 1974 of what was then a news-orientated and jobs-based magazine. Subsequently, he became the magazine’s publisher.

He said: “This really is a dream come true. RBI launched Community Care at exactly the right time and it rapidly became a well-respected, award winning and highly profitable magazine. Editing Community Care at a young age was a pivotal moment in my career from which I have prospered. I never thought that one day I would own this outstanding brand.

Mark Allen Group will see revenues rise to nearly £45 million at the end of this financial year, net profits approaching £6 million and EBITDA to £8 million.

Community Care is the third acquisition the group has made this year. A few months ago, the company purchased the largest special educational needs exhibition, TES SEN Show, from TES Global Ltd.

In June the company acquired Unity Media and Unity Exhibitions, which has a number of magazines and a major exhibition, the RCI Show, in the built environment.

UK, London

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Pearson completes sale of 22% stake in Penguin Random House.

October 5, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

Pearson has  completed the sale of a 22% stake in the Penguin Random House Venture to  Bertelsmann SE & Co KGaA.

Previous reporting:

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LDC back MBO of energy software supplier ENSEK

October 5, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

ensek-news-05102017Private equity investor LDC has backed the management buyout of ENSEK, a software supplier to UK energy providers. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Nottingham, UK, ENSEK uses its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform to provide existing energy suppliers with its revenue assurance and gross margin accounting product. It also provides new market entrants with the end-to-end software solution required to enter and operate in the UK energy sector.

Led by CEO Jon Slade, the business has grown rapidly since its launch in 2010. This has led to a diverse customer base, revenues that are currently growing at 100%+ year-on-year and an employee base of 65 people.

Jon Slade, CEO at ENSEK, said: “The energy sector is facing a period of unprecedented change, driven largely by the number of smaller suppliers entering the market. We want to build on our work of providing market-leading software services to energy suppliers, large and small, across the UK and continue to help them use data to become more efficient and competitive within the growing market.

“Partnering with LDC will give us both the financial firepower and strategic expertise required to take the business to the next level, and we’re looking forward to working closely with the team as we grow the business together.”

The deal was led by investment directors John Green and David Bains at LDC in Nottingham, and both will join the board as non-executive directors.

Ian Peters has been appointed as non-executive chairman with Eddie Minshull joining as non-executive director. Ian was formerly a member of Centrica’s Executive Committee and held the MD and COO roles during his 12 years with the business. Eddie has more than 30 years’ experience supporting the growth of technology businesses such as broadband provider, Gigaclear, as well as network performance specialist Juniper Networks. Eddie is currently also Chairman of energy technology provider Onzo.

UK, Nottingham

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World Fuel Services Europe acquires Orchard Energy from Lakehouse

October 5, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

WFSWorld Fuel Services Europe has acquired energy procurement business Orchard Energy from Lakehouse plc. World Fuel Services paid £12.4 million in cash.   

Orchard provides consultancy advice to corporate clients in relation to managing their energy costs, particularly energy procurement and usage.  In addition, Orchard provides energy management services to commercial and industrial customers, including brokering supply with utilities firms, managing contracts and advising on energy consumption. The business employs 72 staff and is based in Elland, West Yorkshire, with offices in Glasgow, Bristol, Newcastle and Northampton.  

In the financial year ended 30 September 2016, Orchard had turnover of £6.3 million and profit before tax of £2.5 million.   

World Fuel Services recently launched the Kinect Energy Group, built from U.S. Energy, KTM, and Beach Front Energy in the United States and Bergen Energi and Utilities Exchange in Europe. Orchard will become part of the Kinect Energy Group.

USA, Miami, FL & UK, West Yorkshire

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World Fuel Services acquires Bergen Energi Posted on November 2, 2015

 

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Briefing Media invests in business publisher Urner Barry

October 4, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

Briefing MediaBriefing Media, the agribusiness media and information company backed by Lyceum Capital, has announced a strategic investment in Urner Barry Publications Inc. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

ub_logoUrner Barry is a business publisher specialising in the reporting of market news and quotations to clients in the poultry, egg, meat, seafood and related segments of the food industry through a variety of print and non-print media. Urner Barry can trace its roots back to 1858 when Benjamin Urner, a New York printer, publishing the Producers’ Price-Current market report—later to be known as the Urner Barry’s Price-Current.

This is the second add-on for Briefing Media since Lyceum invested in the business in 2015. It follows the acquisition of Toulouse-based Global Data Systems in June 2016.

Commenting on the deal Briefing Media’s CEO, Neil Thackray said “Urner Barry has a strong heritage, and has been relied on by generations of agribusiness professionals to provide the information they need to run their businesses. Our strategic partnership will be hugely valuable for both companies and we look forward to cementing our position as the leading global provider of agricultural information.”

UK, London & USA, Toms River, NJ

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Haynes acquires the E3 Technical business from Carweb

October 2, 2017 — Fusion DigiNet

haynesHaynes Publishing Group has reached agreement on the acquisition of the E3 Technical business from Carweb Ltd., a Solera UK subsidiary. Haynes is paying £4.72 million payable in cash on completion

The E3 Technical business consists of repair and maintenance information, vehicle registration mark look-up and an associated provision of helpdesk services. The Transaction includes the acquisition of customer contracts, and employees from Carweb.

Commenting on the Transaction, Eddie Bell, Chairman of Haynes, said “this acquisition will significantly strengthen the Group’s professional data solutions offering in the UK and provide cross over benefits for Haynes’ consumer division.”

UK, Yeovil, Somerset

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