Hexcite acquires Blaze

Blaze Signs and sister company Cygnia Maintenance have joined Gardners and Kesslers as part of the Elaghmore-owned Hexcite group, creating a £60m turnover suite of operations with a customer base of more than 100 retailers and brands worldwide.

In total, Blaze - acquired from private equity firm Mobeus - employs 250 people across the UK, and last year had a turnover of around £25m. Based in Broadstairs, Kent, and with a substantial manufacturing and service centre in Birmingham, Blaze designs, manufactures, installs and maintains signage for brands, and like may during lockdown, has also been providing social distancing signage. Cygnia is the UK’s largest, and leading provider of sign maintenance, sign repairs and image protection services. The addition of Blaze to the Hexcite group will extend its product and service offering. It is the ninth acquisition made by Elaghmore from its £60m, initial private equity fund, Elaghmore I (Fund 1) which closed at the end of 2016. The investment strategy of the fund is focused on businesses that present a significant opportunity for growth and value creation. Elaghmore. Michael Rice, investment director at Elaghmore and a director of Hexcite Group, said: “By becoming part of the Hexcite Group, Blaze will add new capabilities that increase the ways we can help our customers as well as growing our network of retailers and brands. One of the things that links Blaze, Gardners and Kesslers is a belief in first-class customer service. All three businesses have demonstrated this focus during this challenging time. They have rapidly adapted their products and services to address the needs of their customers, including developing social distancing solutions. We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues from Blaze and Cygnia to the Elaghmore portfolio and to Hexcite. Together, we look forward to growing our share of the marketplace and would embrace opportunities to add other compatible businesses to the Group.” Clive Knight, CEO of Blaze Signs Holdings, added: “We are delighted to be joining forces with the Hexcite Group businesses and are excited about accelerating the growth and development of Blaze by working closely with numerous likeminded colleagues, who understand the vital importance of innovation, quality and first class service for our many retail and brand owning customers.”