Irvine-based DisplayWorks soon will have a new parent.
The company, which makes tradeshow booths and other marketing displays, is being bought by Columbia, Md.-based JPB Enterprises Inc., a private equity firm.
JPB is buying DisplayWorks from its London parent, Mice Group PLC, which has been dealing with financial woes and shopping around for a buyer for DisplayWorks since last year.
Terms weren’t disclosed. Mice Group acquired DisplayWorks in 2002 along with another company for about $7 million.
Herb Hite will stay on as president of Display- Works, said J.P. Bolduc, chief executive of JPB Enterprises.
“This acquisition is strategic for us and will expand our geographic footprint for designing, fabricating and servicing tradeshow exhibits and retail displays,” Bolduc said.
The deal is expected to close by the end of this month.
JPB owns two other display fixture makers.
In 2006, the company bought GO3E LLC, parent of Exhibit Effects East LLC, which makes and designs display fixtures and handles logistics and project management for retail and tradeshows.
Last year, JPB also bought Utility Inc., a Seattle-based provider of custom exhibits, retail displays and other design services.
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Yamaha Motors tradeshow booth by DisplayWorks: JPB buying exhibit, marketing display maker |
Hite said the deal with JPB will help strengthen and grow DisplayWorks’ position in the market since it can tap JPB’s “vast business experience, resources and network within” large U.S. companies.
DisplayWorks, which counts about 124 workers in Irvine, also has offices in San Francisco and Portland, Ore.
Last year, the company brought on some 40 new customers, including Playboy Enterprises Inc. and Mann Packing Co.
More Details
Last week, I wrote about Picket Fence Media starting a weekly newspaper in Dana Point called DP Times.
Since then I’ve gotten more details.
Norb Garrett, publisher and founder of Picket Fence Media, said he’s moving his headquarters to Capistrano Beach on Feb. 1.
Picket Fence Media has 13 full-time workers. That includes two new people for DP Times,an advertising sales representative and a staff reporter.
The company has two other weeklies: the San Clemente Times and the Capistrano Dispatch covering San Juan Capistrano, which it bought last year.
Garrett said advertisers had been asking him to expand for the past few years.
“We already have sold many three-city packages and expect a sizable percentage of our revenue to come from businesses looking to reach the tri-city area,” Garrett said. “We offer sizable discounts for those choosing to advertise in multiple cities.”
Picket Fence Media is working hard to carve itself a niche.
The publisher pushes local news, and competes “head to head” with the Orange County Register’s weekly newspapers in those markets, Garrett said.
Picket Fence Media’s biggest challenge: “simply the slumping economy,” Garrett said.
“We’re seeing more softness in the first quarter than what is typical,” he said.
Designer Hunt
Costa Mesa-based Kulture Konnect is on the hunt for one or two designers.
The advertising shop expects to make the hires by the second quarter of this year, according to creative director Jorge Pacheco.
The new hands will help with the four accounts that Kulture Konnect brought in late last year.
The shop is handling branding campaigns for new clients Advanced Office Services and Leak Detection. It will handle Web work for Animal, Insect & Pest Management and general marketing for Fuzio Restaurants.
Kulture Konnect plans to grow its services this year in Web, radio and television and extend into new markets, including the restaurant and food, investment banking and travel and leisure industries, Pacheco said.
Bits and Pieces:
Irvine-based St. John Knits International Inc. is gearing up for its next runway show, which is slated for Tuesday at the Orange County Performing Artscenter in Costa Mesa. The clothing maker will show off its fall 2008 designs Lake Forest-based Del Taco Inc. is promoting the opening of its 500th restaurant, which recently opened in Burbank. Del Taco plans to open 25 more restaurants this year Irvine-based La Jolla Group recently promoted Erik Forsell to vice president of brand development, overseeing the company’s brands: O’Neill Clothing, Lost Clothing, Metal Mulisha and Rusty. The company also promoted Bill Gage to vice president of sales and marketing for Metal Mulisha.
