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Showdown Displays Acquires Soft Signage Manufacturer

Minnesota-based Showdown Displays (asi/87188), a former Counselor Promotional Products Supplier of the Year, said Thursday that it has acquired Xarisma, a Huntsville, AL-based firm that provides custom soft signage. Financial terms of the deal were not released. “Xarisma’s creative branding solutions and innovative display development is an ideal complement to the current offerings of Showdown Displays,” Kevin Walsh, president of Showdown Displays, said in a statement.

Kevin Walsh, Showdown Displays

Principals for Showdown Displays said the acquisition signifies a joining of like-minded and culturally compatible companies that have been offering comparable product lines to slightly different reseller channels. The plan is to integrate Xarisma into Showdown Displays, creating a combined entity that will offer what executives described as a comprehensive suite of stock and custom portable lightweight displays. The combined company will operate under the Showdown Displays name, and stay committed to offering display solutions through authorized resellers, according to principals.

Going forward, the corporate headquarters for Showdown Displays will remain in Brooklyn Center, MN. The current Xarisma offices, its 85,000-square-foot production facility in Huntsville, and its 90 team members will operate as a complement to Showdown Displays’ facilities. “We’re excited to bring the added production capacity, expanded facility space and Xarisma’s expertise and talent in custom fabrications to the Showdown family,” said Walsh.

Jon Houser, Xarisma

Calling Showdown Displays the “undisputed leader in portable, lightweight displays,” Jon Houser said he and his team are eager to begin making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead. “The entire Xarisma team is excited about the synergies this acquisition represents as well as the opportunity to leverage each company’s strengths to accelerate our overall growth,” Houser, an owner and vice president of sales and marketing at the firm, said in a statement.

Sign-Zone, the parent company of Showdown Displays that is backed by private equity firm Pfingsten Partners, has been active on the acquisition front of late. In October, for example, Sign-Zone ramped up its presence in Europe by acquiring Jansen Display Group, a Czech Republic-headquartered company that designs and manufactures customized poster systems, snap frames, poster boards, notice boards, sidewalk signage and digital displays.