HL Display acquires Display Team Oy

HL Display acquires Display Team Oy Stockholm 2007-02-01 Swedish HL Display AB (publ), a leading supplier of in-store communication and merchandising solutions for the retail trade, today announced the acquisition of Display Team Oy, a privately owned company based in Helsinki, Finland. The company manufactures and markets shelf merchandising solutions under the brand names Maxime BrandMan® and Maxime CatMan®. The addition of Display Team is a significant advance in HL Display's efforts to provide its customers with a more complete product range. The addition is also in line with HL Display's focus on brand manufacturers (FMCG companies) and support for more efficient retail product launches. - This acquisition will add flexibility and choice to our customers. They will be able to continue building on our in-store solutions, now also with a greater focus on product launches. This will make us a more attractive and complete partner for the retail industry, says Gérard Dubuy, CEO in HL Display AB (publ). Display Team was established in 1991 by Jaakko Wilenius. The main customers are big international FMCG-companies like Procter & Gamble, Unilever etc. The product shares the same markets as HL Display's product lines, as well as the same production technology. These facts combined with the bigger organisation offered by HL Display provides an opportunity for Display Team to take the next step. - By merging with HL Display we're going from being a small company to become a bigger force on a market that we share. I feel that we have taken Display Team as far as possible and in order to make the next step we need what HL Display can offer. A big international sales organisation that will add local expertise to our existing structure, a strong chain of distribution and an opportunity to develop the product and the brand, says Jaakko Wilenius, CEO in Display Team Oy. Display Team's net sales for 2006 is approximately 6 MEUR and the acquisition is expected to have a marginal positive effect on earnings per share for the HL Display Group 2007. For further information, please contact Gérard Dubuy, CEO of HL Display AB (publ), telephone +46 8 683 73 00. HL Display AB (publ) is a leading supplier of in-store communication and merchandising solutions for the retail industry and its suppliers. Founded in 1954, the company's group sales were MSEK 1 448 in year 2006. HL Display is quoted on the Stockholm Stock Exchange - and the company employs around 1 000 people with head quarters in Stockholm.Attachment: HL Display acquires Display Team OyText version / Internet version / Print / Close