Showcard Acquired by Magnet Harlequin Group

PRESS RELEASE – 8 April 2019

Showcard Acquired by Magnet Harlequin Group and Richard Saysell leads MBI team.

Magnet Harlequin Group, the UK’s leading integrated creative and graphics production group with operations in the US, India and China, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Showcard Print Ltd (Showcard), a Letchworth UK based retail marketing services business with turnover in the region of £20m per annum.

The acquisition extends Magnet Harlequin Group’s range of services in the UK and complements its creative and production businesses. The acquisition also sees the appointment of Richard Saysell as a Director of Magnet Harlequin Group and as Managing Director of Showcard.

Commenting on the acquisition, Alan Wright, Executive Chairman of Magnet Harlequin Group, said “We are delighted to welcome Showcard and Richard to our growing group. Our brand and retail clients will benefit from this acquisition which further accelerates our ambition to provide the fastest and most cost-effective end-to-end route to market in the sector”

Richard Saysell added “It’s good to be back at the forefront of the industry, particularly during this period of rapid change. We will be quickly adding access to ground breaking technology and data analysis for our clients as we build on Showcard’s existing strengths in design and state of the art production. I’m really looking forward to getting started.”   

Note to Editors: Magnet Harlequin Group is part of Writtle Holdings Ltd, a UK centered marketing services group with an international client base.

Magnet Harlequin Group has operations in London, Bradford and Edinburgh in the UK, Chicago in the US, Gurgaon in India and Hong Kong in China. Magnet Harlequin Group has revenues of c £50m with 400 employees and its businesses include Branded Inc, Identica, Maglabs, Magnet Harlequin, Magnet Harlequin Asia, Showcard, Studio 4, Technik, Williams Murray Hamm and  WMH Adaptive

Richard Saysell led the team that founded Creo Retail Marketing in 2007 which was sold to DS Smith plc in 2016.

Mark Smith, currently Managing Director of Showcard, takes the newly created role of Client Director and commented “I have been working for some time to find a partner to take Showcard to the next level of client service offering. Having known Richard for a number of years, and been aware of Creo’s progress, I am delighted we have completed this deal and he is joining us.  I look forward to the future with great enthusiasm.”

 

ENDS: For further information, please contact r.saysell@showcardprint.com