Product category:
Direct Mail Printing and Services
News Release from: K2 Group
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 25 January 2008
Direct Mail Firm K2 Acquired Forming
GBP120m Group
K2 Group, the Manchester multimedia communications and direct mail group has been acquired by Dsicmm Group.
K2 Group employs 300 staff and has revenues of GBP30 million and the deal creates an enlarged Dsicmm organisation with a turnover of GBP120 million, employing 1,100 people Dsicmm claimed that the K2 acquisition provides a scale of operations unparalleled in the UK
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 25 Jun 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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The company added that the deal also takes Dsicmm's portfolio of services to new sectors that include telecoms, utilities, healthcare and electoral services.
According to Dsicmm, the expanded company provides direct communications serivces across all media, from traditional printing to variable data output, digital printing and the use of new media channels, such as email and the internet, including hybrid services where mail and digital communications are integrated.
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The K2 acquisition also provides Dscimm with a presence throughout the UK, together with production centres in London and the south east of England, East Anglia, Tyne and Wear and now in Manchester, added the company.
The friendly acquisition sees K2's chairman, Kevan Coleman and K2 managing director, Kevin Illingworth, remain with the group.
Yolanda Noble, the chief executive of Dsicmm, said: "This marks the latest stage in our growth strategy, initiated some years ago.
Back then, we saw the market changing.
Demand for integrated media services was growing, especially the pairing of internet based and traditional printed communications.
High speed, high quality personalised digital print was already on companies' wish lists." She added: "Transpromotional advertising on bills and statements had just begun.
The deregulating postal market was opening up massive opportunities for national and international mail efficiencies.
At the same time legislative restrictions on consumer communications were focusing minds on customer development, in a new balance with the formerly dominant cold prospecting activity." Noble explained that the group's strategy for growth has concentrated on acquisitions, or mergers that bring combine organisations with the same attitude to client service, innovation and client market knowledge.
She commented: "The printing market is often presented as one experiencing contraction and consolidation.
The direct communications market, however, is enjoying substantial growth and that is the market in which Dsicmm is the leading independent player.
As a company that supports 90 per cent of the FTSE Top 100 companies, as well as many other organisations, we need to be constantly developing proactive innovations for our clients.
That is how we cement our long-held client relationships." Kevan Coleman concurred: "This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together two like-minded organisations to the benefit of our combined client-base.
In many areas, financial services being the most obvious, there is synergy and, therefore, a stronger scale and presence for the expanded Dsicmm organisation.
However, other areas, such as the public sector, offer the opportunity for the group's combined capabilities to bring new and innovative services to our clients." The group said it believes it is in a strong position to take advantage of global integrated print and communication through its strengths in international mail, along with localised production partnerships in international markets.
The group already has joint ventures in Europe and North America, where it holds a licence with the US Postal Service.
Dsicmm Group added that its in-house software platform, Nexdox, is key to the continuing development of applications to meet the emerging demands for multi-channel communications.
Both companies have also been investing in new technology to provide clients with additional quality and economies.
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