SF Taylor expands portfolio with Branding365 deal

The deal was described as a "fantastic opportunity"
The deal was described as a "fantastic opportunity"

Commercial printer and print manager SF Taylor has expanded its offering with the acquisition of promotional product specialist Branding365.

The deal between the two Stockport firms completed in December, at which point Branding365 relocated to SF Taylor's premises and one of its two staff retired.

Senior account manager Louise Schofield has stayed with the business, which will keep its current branding in the short term. However, it will ultimately rebrand as a division of SF Taylor.

“This is an exciting time for Branding365, to see the company continue to develop and further increase our share of the marketplace,” said Schofield.

“I’ve been working in this role since 2018 and I am looking forward to taking Branding365 to the next level.”

Branding365’s offering centres around promotional products being managed, produced and delivered from a single source.

According to SF Taylor managing director Simon Young the two firms knew each other well, having worked together for around five years on various projects.

"Branding365 was a supply partner to SF Taylor and it soon became apparent it would support our service model. The business wanted to grow and develop, and the purchase will enable this to happen," he said.

As well as expanding SF Taylor’s portfolio, the deal will “benefit both new and existing customers, by streamlining services and helping them to reduce both product and operational costs”.

Following the acquisition, the firms will maintain their pre-existing hybrid model, where SF Taylor manufactures the items that suit its production facilities, while other projects are outsourced through Branding365's hub of promotional merchandisers worldwide.

Young said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for SF Taylor to offer our customers an even wider array of services, adding to our capabilities to provide more choice and more value.

“This all contributes to ensuring SF Taylor remains the partner of choice for our customers.”

The business was founded in 1926 and while it operates across wide range of sectors it specialises in supporting NHS Trusts.

While Young said that business had no immediate plans for further M&A, "if the correct partnership is identified we would always pursue opportunities".

"SF Taylor are always open to explore M&As, that fit our growth strategy and supports our service model," he added.