Marriott & Co. Serves as Exclusive Financial Advisor to World Art Group
Richmond, Va. — Marriott & Co., a premier middle market investment banking firm based in Richmond, VA, is pleased to announce that it served as the exclusive financial advisor to World Art Group and its affiliate Atlantic Art LLC (together “World Art Group” or the “Company”) in its sale to Circle Graphics, Inc. (“Circle Graphics”), the world’s foremost producer of grand and large-format digital graphics headquartered in Longmont, CO. The transaction closed on May 1, 2018. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Headquartered in Richmond, VA, World Art Group is a leading art publisher that has been producing high-quality wall décor for over 40 years. Acquired by Scott Elles and Lonnie Lemco in 2002, World Art Group has experienced significant growth under their ownership, and today the Company sells its products to clients all over the world in end markets including home décor, hotels, restaurants, health care facilities, and many others.
“I am excited about the transaction with Circle Graphics and look forward to continuing to build upon the success of our company for many years to come,” said Lonnie Lemco, co-owner of World Art Group and its Vice President of Sales and Marketing, “This is a terrific outcome for World Art Group, our employees and our customers, as we are now perfectly positioned to capitalize on the many exciting growth opportunities that exist in our markets.”
Added Scott Elles, co-owner of World Art Group and its President, “I would like to thank the Marriott & Co. team for their hard work and professional guidance throughout this transaction process. They were hands-on, highly responsive and always had our best interest at heart. The transaction with Circle Graphics was everything we were looking for in a transaction.”
Justin Marriott, Managing Director of Marriott & Co., said, “We are honored that World Art Group provided us with the opportunity to advise them on such an important transaction. We truly enjoyed working with Scott, Lonnie and the rest of the World Art Group team, and we believe that the Company is poised to thrive under this new partnership with Circle Graphics.”
About World Art Group:
Headquartered in Richmond, VA, World Art Group is a leading art publisher producing over 4,000 unique, high-quality images a year through a combination of its own in-house design team and also through collaborations with artists from around the world. The Company sells its products to global clients including interior design and architectural firms as well as framed picture manufacturers that frame the Company’s prints and sell them to a variety of end users including home décor retailers, hotels, restaurants, health care facilities, office buildings and model homes. World Art Group also licenses its images to clients to use on their products which include floor coverings, coffee mugs, paper products, wallpaper, and many others. Boasting an exceptionally diverse and robust catalog of fine art prints and posters as well as the flexibility of on-demand custom design and printing, World Art Group serves customers all over the U.S. as well international customers in over 30 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.theworldartgroup.com.
About Circle Graphics:
Founded in 2000, Circle Graphics is the world’s foremost producer of grand and large-format digital graphics. The company is an industry leader in creating innovative products for business and consumer end-markets. Circle Graphics specializes in industry leading innovations accompanies by world class service and production facilities. Based in Longmont, CO, Circle Graphics employs nearly 800 people in multiple locations across the U.S. including manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles, Baton Rouge, LA, and Raleigh, NC. For more information, please visit www.circlegraphicsonline.com.
About Marriott & Co.:
Headquartered in Richmond, VA, Marriott & Co. (www.marriott-co.com) is a premier, independent boutique investment-banking firm focused on advising privately-held companies across a wide variety of industries. The firm provides merger and acquisition advisory and capital raising services primarily to family-held businesses and entrepreneurial business owners in the middle market. Marriott & Co.’s unique entrepreneurial culture enables the firm to tailor its services to meet the needs of its clients, and the firm’s professionals have an unparalleled understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing these companies and their owners today. By delivering senior banker attention, a high-touch approach to client service and best-in-class process execution to every assignment it undertakes, Marriott & Co. has established a long track record of closing successful transactions for clients all over the U.S.
Contact: Justin Marriott
Phone: (804) 344-0952
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