Nordic investment group becomes partner in Scandstick

Nordstjernan, the Nordic investment group, has reached an agreement in principle with the Fredin family whereby Nordstjernan will become a partner in Scandstick AB, the Parent Company of the Scandstick Group. Scandstick is a one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of self-adhesive material for the label industry. Nordstjernan will initially own 16 percent of Scandstick, with the opportunity of raising its holding to 100 percent on a stage-by-stage basis.

Scandstick’s founder, Sten-Inge Fredin, will continue to serve as president and principal owner of the company, but it is hoped that the transaction will advance Scandstick’s international expansion.

Scandstick, which is headquartered in Helsingborg, has annual sales of approximately SEK 850 million and has shown annual growth of 23 percent over the past five years. The Group has about 200 employees and two production plants, one in Helsingborg, Sweden, and the other in Cambridge, United Kingdom. In Sweden, the company invested in a new machine in 2005 that resulted in quadrupled capacity.

'Scandstick is an exciting family business that fits in well with Nordstjernan’s investment strategy,' said Tomas Billing, president of Nordstjernan. 'The company has an impressive track record of growth and we believe that the prospects for the company’s continued expansion are favorable. With the new production plants in Helsingborg and Cambridge, the company is ready to strengthen its position in Europe as a leading manufacturer of state-of-the-art label material.'

'We welcome having Nordstjernan as a partner. Nordstjernan, like Scandstick, is a family business that adopts a long-term view to its investments,' said Sten-Inge Fredin, founder and president of Scandstick. 'This partnership provides Scandstick with greater financial strength and an expanded international network of contacts. With Nordstjernan as a long-term partner, we can implement our new initiatives faster and with a greater reach.'

The partners have agreed not to publicise the purchase price.