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Simpson Group named as Realisis buyer

Tom Hall, printweek.com, 20 November 2008

Simpson Group has bought fellow large-format printer Realisis In-store, formerly known as Realisis TSG, out of administration, in a deal set to double its turnover to almost £20m.

The Newcastle-based company, headed up by chairman Mark Simpson, is the latest northern printer to establish a London arm through acquisition, following Bezier's acquisition of Coutts Retail Communications in March this year.

The deal is the second time the Heathrow-based company has been bought in the last two years after business consultancy group Realisis purchased point-of-sale specialist Terry Smith Group in July 2007 to form Realisis TSG.

Simpson said: "It has been clear for some time that consolidation would take place within our sector and for a number of months Simpson Group has been looking at acquisitions as part of our ambitious growth plans.

"It was a problem in the past that we didn't have that link to London, but now we've rectified that. Realisis has similar kit and is a similar outfit to us. It is ideally located close to nearly all the UK's leading high-street brands."

He added: "One of our first actions will be to put in place a long-term plan, which will be agreed after consultation with employees and after we have undertaken a review of the business."

William Flynn, Realisis In-Store chairman, said: "Simpson Group has a great reputation within our sector and that really is the key to this deal. It understands where the market is going and the challenges and opportunities that our customers face.

"That knowledge and understanding, together with strong management skills, will take the Realisis In-Store business forward."

Simpson Group was established in 1972 and has a current turnover of £9m.

The administrator appointed to Realisis was Hacker Young's Andrew Andronikou.

Comments

donald frazer - 20 November 2008

Wot No Simon yet, probably too busy collecting the Blockbuster stock. Their are more to come like this, anyone who is in print, get out while you can learn a new skill while you have time. Make sure you have redundancy insurance. I'm so glad I got out 10 years ago.

Don't believe your management their all full of the brown stuff, the last thing they want anyone to do is panic untill they have successfully skinned the comapny for everything. That means keeping the staff on side while they rape and pillage. I am speaking from experience, don't get left out on the cold.

Paul Baily - 20 November 2008

Donald...on what do you base these comments?

If you have been out of the industry for 10 years why are you demeaning the management team.

Do you know them????

Your comments are a biased opinion based on what.Clearly you have issues.

I was at Capital when it went bust and we still wait to see if we will get any monies owed.

Simpsons owners as stated have been looking for a london based facility and Realisis In-Store\(ex TSG) fits the bill.

To suggest its an asset strip is plain nasty and based on what information exactly.

Having worked at Realisis TSG as a consultant its a good business which suffered when its major account disappeared and if it wasnt for Realisis stepping in would have probably disappeared and many jobs lost.

If this purchase protects peoples jobs then thats a good thing.If it goes and people lose their jobs at least they tried....with your knowledge of the industry you made a wide decision to get out of the industry and would suggest you stay out.

richard wells - 20 November 2008

Bit of a sweeping statment Donald. Obviously you had a bad experience in the trade but to state, everyone's management is "full of the brown stuff" and are out to "rape and pillage" is bang out of order.

There are some good guys out there and to tar everyone with the same brush is wrong !

donald frazer - 20 November 2008

Paul, let me take you to the future. Simpsons will dispose of all the machinery they don't require along with all the production staff. All of the production will be moved up North, and the decent sales kept in an office in W.London with some kind of pre-press requirement. If you don't believe me just wait and see, and then tell me if I am bang out of order or just a realist.

Paul Baily - 20 November 2008

Time will tell.I hope if you are wrong someone will take you to task no doubt.What sort of pre press requirement do you think their customers may require...what customers do they have???

Sensible customers will be checking out alternative suppliers just in case but I am sure with the likes of Richard Holmes and Neil Johnson in control it will be a smooth transition for their customers.

martin whetton - 20 November 2008

Cheers Donald for that ringing endorsement of print company bosses... Not a massive generalisation then...

Some of us, got off our collective backsides, gave up well paid jobs and took a risk by setting up on our own, some of us worked 60 hour weeks and when cash was tight, paid the staff and suppliers and had to take what was left \(if anything in the early months).

Some of us are working damned hard to build something keep good staff members in a job.

Obviously, there are a few who would prefer to sit on their collective backsides and snipe and whinge.

If the print industry is that bad, why are you, after 10 years out of the trade, still looking at printweek.com

I feel better now...

Fact Hunt - 20 November 2008

if colin thompson could hear you all bickering I am sure he would have something to say.....

Simon Biltcliffe- Webmart - 20 November 2008

I would just like to say it has been a pleasure to work with the printers and other production staff at Terry Smiths and Realisis for the past 8 years and we see no reason that this will not be the same for the next 8 years.

Times change and management teams react to these changes in many different ways, but we have always found the people there to be honest and produce a consistently good product at a good price on time. In other words the best of British print.

Mark and his team are a time-served printing company who understand the issues they will encounter. We look forward to working with them to help them build a sustainable future for the business they have recently acquired.

Simon Biltcliffe

WEBMART

www.FreePrintSales.com

donald frazer - 20 November 2008

Trust me I have no interest in print what so ever, I'm just pre-warning all the people in print especially those on the shopfloor. Not to be too nieve, and just believe what they are being told. Martin I appreciate your comments and I know not all print managers are bad, however no matter how good you are your company can still go bust. Especially in these times, as a lot of the factors which effect working capital for example are out of your control.

If people do have another skiill and redundancy insurance, they will be better prepared for the future even if the companies they work for survive this credit crunch. Another point I don't go on Printweek it's just the raft of companies I get begging me to buy them, that's why I am pre-warning the British Workforce. There is no Job for Life