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H.I.G. Capital Portfolio Company Acquires LogoSportswear

The transaction continues PE firm’s run of deal-making in the promo space.

Private equity firm H.I.G. Capital, through its portfolio company, Digital Room, LLC, has purchased Connecticut-based LogoSportswear, the companies announced. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, although H.I.G. said debt financing for the transaction was provided by BNP Paribas.

H.I.G. Capital’s David Miller with ASI CEO Tim Andrews at the ASI Power Summit.

“We’re pleased to support Digital Room in its acquisition of LogoSportswear,” said Rahul Vinnakota, a managing director at H.I.G. “The investment is consistent with our strategy of acquiring complementary businesses in attractive, high growth end markets that will enhance the value proposition Digital Room offers to its customers.”

LogoSportswear, which employs 140 people and specializes in e-commerce sales of customizable shirts, jackets, jerseys, polos, hats and more, will remain a separate brand and stay headquartered in Wallingford, CT. HartfordBusiness.com reported LogoSportswear will increase its staff following the PE deal. “Logo Sportswear offers a highly optimized, proprietary online design technology that drives exceptional customer conversion and is fully integrated into its operations to efficiently fulfill small-to-medium run jobs,” H.I.G. said, in a release.

Digital Room expects the acquisition will expand its offerings in the web-to-print upload market, where it serves small and medium-sized businesses. According to H.I.G., Digital Room prints over one million orders each year through websites Uprinting.com, PrintPlace.com, NextDayFlyers.com, PrintRunner.com, 48HourPrint.com and ColorFXWeb.com.

This latest deal involving H.I.G. continues its run as the most active private equity firm in the promo market. H.I.G. currently owns Top 40 supplier BIC Graphic (asi/40480) and previously owned Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000). H.I.G. originally bought HALO out of bankruptcy in 2003. The PE company has also owned U.K.-based distributor Brand Addition (asi/202515).

At last month’s ASI Power Summit in Tucson, AZ, H.I.G.’s David Miller, a principal in the firm, said he sees considerable positives in the promo market going forward. “It’s a very large industry,” Miller said. “It’s continuing to grow. Promotional products are here to stay. Their CPI is among the best value out there.”

Miami-based H.I.G., which has offices in nearly 20 cities, has a portfolio that includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $30 billion.