BDA Partners is pleased to announce that its client, AnaJet LLC (“AnaJet”), a leading US provider of direct-to-garment printers, has been sold by Chicago Growth Partners, a private equity group, to Ricoh Company Ltd (“Ricoh”), one of Japan’s leading printing and imaging technology companies. BDA acted as exclusive financial advisor to AnaJet and Chicago Growth Partners. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 2006, AnaJet was one of the first companies in the world to mass-produce digital garment printers. Today, the company is a recognized market leader in digital garment printing systems in the US with distribution in over 50 countries. The majority of AnaJet products available today leverage Ricoh’s market-leading inkjet printheads. AnaJet maintains a robust research and development center, as well as manufacturing, customer service, aftermarket support and end-user training programs in Southern California.
The addition of the AnaJet portfolio will help Ricoh further its position in the industrial inkjet market, a market where Ricoh maintains global leadership in inkjet printhead development. With AnaJet’s solutions combined with the broad Ricoh portfolio, customers will now have the ability to more effectively deliver a broader solution set to their end users.
AnaJet will continue to operate under its current name, management team, and capabilities, which currently include more than 50 employees and is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California.
Justine Mannering, BDA Managing Director in New York said, “We’re proud to have worked with AnaJet to execute this transaction. We believe that Ricoh represents the perfect partner to support AnaJet’s next phase and to accelerate the Company’s growth both internationally and through enhanced R&D and product development.”
Jeff Acton, BDA Managing Director in Tokyo added, “This transaction builds on our existing extensive credentials in the global imaging and printing technology sector. It is a good illustration of BDA’s capabilities to manage and close global transactions attracting sophisticated Japanese and other Asian buyers for high quality assets.”
BDA Deal Team:
Justine Mannering, Managing Director, New York
Jeff Acton, Managing Director, Tokyo
Koichiro Yasuda, Vice Chairman – Japan, Tokyo
Christophe Lirola, Analyst, New York
Ruqing Zhou, Analyst, New York
About Anajet
AnaJet LLC develops, manufactures, and supports direct to garment printers to print digital graphics on light and dark cotton, cotton blended, polyester, nylon, rayon, and spandex promotional, customized, and personalized garments. It offers digital apparel printers to print directly onto garments and other textile items, such as T-shirts, polo shirts, uniforms, child sized garments, scarves, and tunics; aprons and canvas bags; towels and pillow cases; mouse pads; art canvas; and head wear, tote bags, canvas art prints, wood, glass, synthetic fibers, and other decorative items. The company also provides textile inks; and accessories, such as youth tables, sleeve tables, and other tools. It sells its products through distributors worldwide. AnaJet LLC was founded in 2006 and is based in Costa Mesa, California. www.anajet.com
About Ricoh
Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in about 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2015, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of Yen 2,231 bn (US$18.5bn). The majority of the company’s revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and specialized industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives. www.ricoh.com