OREANDA-NEWS. Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announced that Charterhouse PM Limited (Charterhouse), a Konica Minolta Group company based in the U.K., has acquired Bristol, U.K.-based Indicia Group Limited (Indicia), to develop and provide new services.

Background

Konica Minolta has been developing highly unique Marketing Print Management (MPM) services in its commercial and industrial printing business. MPM services are designed to maximize marketing effectiveness and return on print investments by undertaking the entire process of planning, production and management of promotional materials for the customers’ marketing departments. In the future expansion of the business, it will be necessary to enhance capabilities in planning and managing customized and long-term promotions, not only for printed materials but also for the use of digital media, that meet the customers’ strategic marketing direction.

Purpose and effect

Indicia, a leading marketing services company, operates as a vital partner to premier brands and provides coherent services from strategic planning and media production to management so that the brand-owning clients are able to maintain a long-term good relationship with their customers. Indicia has especially distinguished itself with planning and execution of cross-media communications strategy in combination with printed materials and digital media, by utilizing analytics of customers’ purchase and preferences to strengthen marketing in building brand power and increasing customer loyalty.

The acquisition is aimed at enhancing Konica Minolta’s services with the integration of Indicia’s know-how.

As Konica Minolta prepares for future expansion of the services on a global scale, it is launching the first initiatives in the U.K. and other European countries. The acquisition will benefit brand-owning companies with increased return on marketing investment, while Konica Minolta is accelerating enhancement and growth of MPM services, followed by increase in digital print output, a natural fit in the cross-media communications.

Scheme of acquisition

Konica Minolta purchased all stocks of Indicia through Charterhouse. On December 24, 2014, Charterhouse and Indicia concluded the purchase agreement for the transaction.

Overview of Indicia

Company name Indicia Group Limited
Established 2006
Headquarters Bristol, U.K.
Number of employees 86 (as of July 2014)
Offices London, Bristol and Edinburgh, U.K.
Business Planning and management of media mix marketing initiatives based on database analytics

Indicia has been highly recognized in direct marketing and digital marketing fields and received many prestigious awards including Digital Impact Awards 2013, Data Strategy Awards and Database Marketing Awards (Outstanding Data Focused Agency).

Under the brand proposition “Giving Shape to Ideas,” Konica Minolta is enhancing the corporate value of its entire group by turning new ideas into solutions and services with high added value that meet market needs while raising the level of customer satisfaction.