Ratos Company HL Display to acquire Oechsle Display Systems and werba print & display

2023-03-28

HL Display has signed an agreement to acquire Oechsle Display Systems, a manufacturer of communication and shelf management solutions, and its sister company werba print & display, a provider of print and display solutions. The acquisitions are the sixth and seventh respectively since HL Display's acquisition journey started in 2021, and they will create major industrial synergies.

The acquisition will expand HL Display’s footprint in Germany and further strengthen its position as the leading supplier for in-store merchandising and communication solutions to grocery retailers in Europe.

“HL Display's growth journey is characterized by underlying good organic growth combined with a high acquisition rate of fine companies, precisely the type of deals that have great industrial synergies. Now HL Display is taking further big and important steps in Germany, and thereby strengthening its position as the leading European player. Furthermore, these ad-on acquisitions are numbers six and seven since HL's acquisition journey started in 2021, it is impressive both in terms of quality and pace. We are very satisfied with the development so far and look forward to the next steps,” says Anders Slettengren, Chairman of the Board of HL Display and Executive Vice President, Ratos.

“I am glad to announce the acquisitions of Oechsle Display Systems and werba print & display. Both companies are a great addition to HL, given their impressive track record and strong footprint in Germany, a market where we are looking to expand our presence. As Oechsle’s product assortment is close to HL’s, the offering of both companies can be combined to provide a stronger proposition to our customers. werba on the other hand will enable us to provide printed and bespoke solutions to our customers in Central Europe, similar to our offer to customers in the UK today. I am confident this acquisition will set us up for a successful future together,” says Björn Borgman, CEO of HL Display.

Founded in 1956, Oechsle Display Systems is based in Leipheim, Germany and has 160 employees. The family-owned company has a track record of innovation, including the plastic poster frame introduced in the 1970ies. Today, Oechsle Display Systems has annual sales of €13M from a large assortment of solutions for shelf management, price labelling and sales promotion.

The Sister company werba print & display develops, designs and produces customised POS display solutions out of various materials but also offers high quality print products for grocery trade as well as non-food retailers such as drug stores and brand suppliers. Founded in 1975, the company has been owned by the Oechsle family since 2004 and generates an annual turnover of €13M. Its 140 employees are based in Buhl, Germany.

The acquisition is expected to be finalized by 3 April 2023.

About HL
HL is a global leader in in-store merchandising and communication solutions, helping customers to create a better shopping experience around the world. Founded in 1954, HL today is present in more than 70 countries and solutions can be found in 330,000 stores, supporting customers to grow sales, inspire shoppers, drive automation, and reduce waste. The three customer segments are retail food, branded good suppliers and non-food retail.

The HL Display Group has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and sales offices in 23 countries covering 39 markets as well as distribution partners covering the remaining markets globally. The five production facilities are located in Sweden, Poland, the UK and China and handle a variety of industrial processes, including plastics and metal fabrication, printing and assembly.

The company has 1,100 employees and net sales of 1,900 MSEK.

For more information, please contact:
Josefine Uppling, VP Communication, Ratos, +46 76 114 54 21
Björn Borgman, CEO HL Display, +46 72 264 17 90

About Ratos
Ratos is a business group consisting of 16 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer and Industry. The companies have approximately SEK 32 billion in net sales (LTM). Our business concept is to own and develop companies that are or can become market leaders. We have a distinct corporate culture and strategy – everything we do is based on our core values: Simplicity, Speed in execution and It’s All About People. We enable independent companies to excel by being part of something larger. People, leadership, culture and values are key focus areas.