Ratos Company HL Display to acquire pr trading-Flekota A/S

2024-01-18

HL Display (HL) has signed an agreement to acquire pr trading-Flekota A/S (pr trading), its distribution partner in Denmark. This acquisition will expand HL’s footprint in Europe and further strengthen its position as a leading supplier for in-store merchandising and communication solutions to grocery and non-food retailers in Europe.

pr trading (founded in 1968) has a long and successful history as a trusted supplier of standard and custom-made display and in-store solutions to Danish grocery retail as well as non-food retailers and brand suppliers. Building on a shared ambition to create attractive and profitable in-store environments, the company has been a distribution partner of HL since the 1970s. pr trading today has 38 employees and a turnover of 160 MDKK, with a track record of strong growth.

“HL's profitable growth journey continues at a steady pace and 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. Add-on acquisitions of this type are highly value-creating and an important part of Ratos’ strategy. With the acquisition of pr trading, HL is taking yet another important step,” says Anders Slettengren, Chairman of the Board of HL Display and Executive Vice President, Ratos.

“I’m delighted to announce our intention to acquire pr trading,” says Björn Borgman, CEO of HL Display. “The company has been an essential partner to HL for more than 50 years and given the expertise and strong position in Danish retail, pr trading is a natural fit for HL. This acquisition is the logical next step on our journey to be the leading supplier for in-store merchandising and communication solutions in Europe.”

The completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by competition authorities, which is expected to be obtained during the first quarter of 2024.

About HL Display
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 eight production facilities are located in Sweden, Poland, Germany, the UK, and China and handle a variety of industrial processes, including plastics and metal fabrication, printing and assembly.
The company has 1,300 employees and net sales of approximately 2,000 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 17 companies divided into three business areas: Construction & Services, Consumer and Industry. The companies have approximately SEK 34 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.