Konica Minolta To Acquire Charterhouse PM Limited to Strengthen Production Print Business
Tokyo (November 19, 2012) – Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announced that the company has lately signed an agreement to acquire Charterhouse PM Limited (Charterhouse), a leading European marketing services production company, headquartered in Hatfield, UK through Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH, based in Langenhagen, Germany, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Konica Minolta.
<Background of acquisition>
One of the primary growth strategies in the Konica Minolta Group's Medium Term Business Plan "G PLAN 2013" is to reinforce competitiveness in the production print business, including commercial printing and central reproduction department (CRD) as main markets.
Konica Minolta has been known for achieving high customer satisfaction with its high quality products and services in the European CRD market. With the aim of strengthening its competitive edges and also expanding production print business including commercial printing, the company has been addressing priorities to deliver proposals for marketing enhancement tailored to customer's business needs. In addition, offerings with IT solution proposals for work efficiency improvement and cost reductions have become important, as well as a wider range of consulting services for document management to support customers' specific operation such as sales promotion.
<Purpose and estimated effect of acquisition>
Headquartered in the UK with offices in 18 European countries, Charterhouse has deep expertise in offering cost reduction of documents, maximizing process improvement and its support for marketing planning.
The acquisition provides Konica Minolta know-how in marketing and consulting for document management, as well as Charterhouse's European sales network. Konica Minolta aims to strengthen its marketing capabilities to offer practical solutions to the customers' challenges and expand new services.
By adding Charterhouse's expertise and service network, Konica Minolta will offer even more diverse solutions and options to meet the customers'requirements. Through the acquisition, the company will continue enlarging and deepening its business portfolio to achieve higher customer satisfaction in the European production print market.
<Method of acquisition>
Konica Minolta is to acquire 100% stake of Charterhouse. The company signed a definitive agreement with Charterhouse on November 9, 2012.
<Overview of Charterhouse>
| Company name | Charterhouse PM Limited |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Hatfield, UK |
| Employees | Charterhouse has more than 240 employees as of October 2012. |
| Offices |
Subsidiaries: UK, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland Branches: Germany, France, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Italy, Serbia and Austria |
| Businesses | Print Management, Digital Marketing Production, Studio Services, Data Management, Permanent POS and Promotional Merchandise. |
Going forward, Konica Minolta will strive to deliver innovative solutions and services that fulfill diverse needs of the customers, under the Communication Message "Giving Shape to Ideas," thereby gaining enhanced presence in production print business and further increasing corporate value of the entire Group.