MBO for Optimus

The new Optimus Group Ltd, formed on May 1 following a management buyout of MIS supplier OCSL from parent company Optichrome Group Ltd., reports that it will be ‘business as usual’ as far as its customers and OEM partners are concerned. OCSL, as the UK subsidiary of the new group, will continue to operate from its Woking premises, and with all the same employees. The deal includes all OCSL overseas subsidiaries.

’Everyone has worked extremely hard during the last few years and we now have a winning formula in terms of people, products, R&D facilities and installations,’ said Nicola Bisset, who continues as group managing director. ‘Optimus has very loyal staff and customers, plus a reputation in the industry that is unrivalled in terms of service, pioneering technology and market penetration. We’re all very excited at the opportunities now presented to us to evolve the business both in the UK and overseas.’

The owners of the new Optimus Group Ltd consist of Nicola Bisset, Henny van Esch who is managing director of the Dutch subsidiary, UK and Ireland sales director Steve Richardson, technical director Gerry Richens and managing director of the Spanish subsidiary Jaime Aperador. Between them they have more than 50 years of service with OCSL. Ted Stephens is non executive chairman of the new Optimus Group board and Nigel Tyler remains as R&D director of OCSL.

‘We’re delighted that we can still benefit from the vast experience of Ted Stephens, who has overseen the growth of the company since its creation nearly 30 years ago as the first MIS supplier in the UK,’ said Nicola Bisset. ‘However, as the MIS business has grown so has Optichrome. Ted will now have more time to dedicate to the continued development of the printing company and particularly to oversee the fast growing variable data digital division of the business and the group’s property interests. In reality, the new MBO team has been running Optimus for the last three years, so we don’t see any great changes at all going forward.

‘The biggest difference will be the increased flexibility we will have to explore new avenues and push forward the boundaries of MIS technology. Optimus already has one of the largest global sales networks of any MIS supplier and its systems are in use in more than 20 countries, including Ireland, Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, South Africa and five countries in South America. Our customer base incorporates all areas of print, including sheet-fed litho and web offset, digital, flexo, packaging, labels and wide format inkjet.

‘We’ve had a tremendous response to the news of the MBO from the customers and OEM partners that we have been able to speak to during the last few days, while staff have been very supportive. We believe the Optimus brand, already the strongest in the UK and Spanish MIS markets, will become a leader in many other countries around the world,’ continued Bisset.

Optimus has subsidiaries in Spain, Australia, Holland and Germany, with dealers in many other countries. The company’s MIS products can be seen demonstrated at leading global industry exhibitions and later this year Optimus will exhibit in the UK at the MIS and DPW events, as well as hosting its annual user group meeting, scheduled for September.