LAVA Advisory Partners is delighted to announce that it has led and completed the sale of the Greens group of printing businesses to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
The husband-and-wife team, Mark and Tricia Player, have led the Buckinghamshire-based business for more than 25 years, providing complete print and digital communications services to a range of complex markets. With expertise in confidential data and regulatory-heavy industries like financial services, market research, and transactional billing, Greens boasts a strong customer base and a solid team of industry experts.
Over the years, the group has grown in both size and offering through a series of mergers and acquisitions. However, neither a trade sale nor private equity investment was the right approach for the Players. They remained committed to finding the right cultural and commercial fit to reward and protect their loyal team.
LAVA proposed an Employee Ownership Trust to protect the culture that the Players have so carefully built and to ensure continued investment in the business for the benefit of the 100-strong Greens team, many of whom have dedicated decades of loyal service.
Greens has seen consistent and steady growth over many years, and we were keen to protect that going forward. LAVA’s proposal to transfer the business to employee ownership provided exactly the answer we were looking for an will incentivise our people to deliver on the future growth plans of the business, while rewarding those who have been so instrumental to our success to date.
Mark Player CEO, Greens
Though the Players initially considered a different route, EOT structures have gained popularity in the print sector. This industry has historically relied on a highly skilled workforce with profound industry knowledge. LAVA collaborated closely with the Greens team, illustrating the benefits of the EOT structure. They ensured a robust leadership team was ready to take over immediately upon the deal’s conclusion. By empowering the employees, the aim is to ensure the retention and recruitment of essential talent for the business’s future.
It’s always our first priority to find the right solutions for our clients’ specific needs, rather than a one size fits all approach. Having considered the options available, it was clear to us that an EOT was the best route to securing the future success of the business and providing Mark and Tricia with peace of mind that their legacy was in good hands. We’re excited to see the great things the team will accomplish going forward, and we look forward to working with them in the future.
Claire Davis Partner, LAVA Advisory Partners
For a confidential discussion of your own specific M&A needs, please feel free to contact our team.
