May 17, 2008

TripleArc sale looks certain to go ahead


TripleArc's buyout by stationery group Office2office (O2O) is certain to go ahead after it was revealed that nearly all shareholders of both companies have approved the deal.

At an Extraordinary General Meeting held by O2O yesterday, its board revealed shareholders representing 91.6% of TripleArc's issued share capital had approved the sale of the company, which was first announced in late April.

Norwich-based O2O, which plans to incorporate TripleArc's print management business AccessPlus as a business process outsourcing division, has urged the owners of the remaining TripleArc shares to accept the offer.

However, given that the owners of more than 90% of the shares have approved the deal, O2O now has the right to force the remaining owners to sell their stakes.

O2O shareholders also passed a resolution to approve the deal, meaning that the offer is now unconditional and that the deal is certain to go through.

"We're absolutely thrilled and we're really looking forward to firing on all cylinders," said TripleArc chief executive Jason Cromack.

The 6p-per-share deal for AIM-listed TripleArc, which was first announced on 17 April, valued the company at £12.4m. O2O will also take on TripleArc's debt of £13.6m, making a £26m deal. It will create a group with annual sales of around £215m and a significant client base in the public and private sectors.

Norwich-based O2O has a turnover of £168m and supplies stationery and office products to organisations such as the Department for Transport, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, and Pricewater¬houseCoopers.

Confirmation that the deal will go through comes amid a spate of M&A activity in the print management arena. RR Donnelley Global Document Solutions – the former Astron – is understood to be up for sale, while Etrinsic announced that it had been sold to US firm Innerworkings earlier this week.

Both Williams Lea and Charterhouse have also had recent injections of cash from investors.
Source: printweek

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