B&S intends to acquire Royal Capi-Lux
Trade and distribution organisation B&S International (B&S) in Dordrecht intends to acquire Royal Capi-Lux. Royal Capi-Lux operates electronics shops under the name Capi - The Travellers Electronics Company at international airports.
Capi-Lux is a leading player in the niche market of electronics retail. The company also has a business-to-business division, Capi Trading, active as wholesaler of electronics in duty-free channels. The formal completion of acquisition is expected within some weeks.
Royal Capi-Lux recorded an annual turnover of almost a € 100 mio (2011), employing around 230 people. The organisation has shops at airports in Amsterdam, Helsinki, Oslo, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Frankfurt and Munich. At the beginning of 2013 Capi will open a shop at the new Berlin Brandenburg airport.
After the acquisition, Royal Capi-Lux will continue as a separate division within B&S. The existing management will head the new division while all activities will continue from the current headquarters of Royal Capi-Lux in Hoofddorp. Royal Capi-Lux will work closely with the other divisions of B&S with regard to strategic purchasing and the joint roll-out of concepts in the field of distribution and retail.
"This take-over allows us to strengthen our wholesale and retail activities in duty-free electronics," according to Bert Meulman, CEO of B&S. "We already have experience in the exploitation of our own duty-free shops, we have also been active in the travel retail industry for some time. The Capi shops at international airports and the trading activities of Royal Capi-Lux complement existing business. Royal Capi-Lux has succeeded in distinguishing itself in the static commodity market of consumer electronics through its appealing concepts and products. That is a great achievement and an ideal basis for growth. The take-over of Royal Capi-Lux fits our growth strategy, where continuity is a key factor."
"Royal Capi-Lux, established in 1894, has been in my family since the 1920s," says Peter Breuer, shareholder and president of Royal Capi-Lux, "That era is coming to a close. As shareholders we are delighted with B&S as a partner. Its trading activities fit well with those of Capi and we can guarantee further growth and expansion of our company through this take-over."
About B&S
B&S is an international trade and distribution organisation. The company supplies foods - including a complete range under its private label GoodBurry - liquor, excise goods, and luxury consumer goods such as perfumes to a great variety of markets. The company operates world-wide as a 'one-sourcesupplier' of complete and mixed shipments. B&S has several duty-free shops abroad. In the Netherlands, B&S is known in the duty-free retail with its shop B&S Shop Fly at Eindhoven and Maastricht Airports (www.bs-shopfly.com).
"A healthy mind in a healthy body" characterises the B&S organisation. A healthy mind that is expressed in the international co-operation, creativity and innovation, but is derived from the sound financial basis of our company. Our dedicated team of more than 1,400 employees enables B&S to achieve substantial growth each year. A growth which has not gone unnoticed. B&S is in the top 100 of Dutch companies and has won the “Gazellen Award” (given by the renowned Dutch newspaper 'Het Financiele Dagblad') for fastest growing Dutch enterprise three years in a row. B&S recorded an annual turnover of € 829 mio and turnover is expected to exceed € 1,000 mio in 2012.
Consultancy
Capi-Lux has been advised by Boer & Croon Corporate Finance, the largest independent M&A advisory firm in the Netherlands.
About Capi
Capi, The Travellers Electronics Company - part of B&S - was originally established in 1894 and currently has
its headquarters in Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. Capi is one of the founders of the Amsterdam Airport Shopping Centre
and has been active in airport retailing since 1957.
Capi distributes electronics through owned shops at airports in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Munich, Helsinki, Oslo,
Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as business to business partners. Capi is active at 17 airports throughout Europe,
the Middle East and South Africa and is the largest electronics airport retailer and B2B-distributor for airport
retailing in electronics.