22nd June 2011
Inflexion Private Equity, the mid-market private equity investor, completed the take-private acquisition of Ideal Shopping Direct (“Ideal”), a leading independent multi-channel retailer, in a £78.3m transaction. The company was delisted from AIM on 22 June 2011.
Ideal sells lifestyle and niche craft and hobbyist products to consumers through TV shopping channels, the internet and mail order catalogues. The TV channels broadcast to over 23 million households in the UK and operate on all available digital TV platforms. Four specialist e-commerce websites support the TV channels and are increasingly used as a customer acquisition and booking channel. The business also operates a wholesale distribution business supplying craft products to third parties in the UK and overseas markets.
Ideal employs over 500 people, who are mainly based at the distribution and broadcasting centre in Peterborough. The business has been growing strongly in contrast to recent UK consumer spending statistics.
Dow Schofield Watts – Management -Financial Advisor
DC Advisory Partners – Purchaser- Financial Advisor
Eversheds LLP – Management – Legal Advisor