Louisville, Ky. – Southern Graphics Inc. (together with its global affiliates, "sgsco") announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire the Diadeis Group ("Diadeis"), a leading global package design and pre-media company. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Sgsco and Diadeis, as established leaders in end-to-end design-to-print services, will together become a world leader in package design, digital art file and image carrier services. Their complementary combined geographic footprint and talent base represents nearly 80 offices and more than 4,500 employees across Europe, North America, South and Central America, Africa and Asia.

"By integrating our operational breadth and depth, and increasing our global scale we can provide unparalleled quality and service to our valued customers," said Aidan Tracey, CEO of sgsco. "We share a vision that the digital art files that were historically used only for physical packaging are now also central to winning in an omnichannel retail environment.  Ensuring that key brand visual assets are synchronized across the physical and digital shelf is critical to where the industry is headed, and we intend to lead the way." 

With over 70 years of pre-media experience, sgsco has made significant recent investments in global innovation, image carriers, pre-media, 3D CGI, design, and e-commerce.  Diadeis' additional footprint and capacity presents an opportunity to expand the company's overall pre-media and digital services to better meet global demand. 

"This is a true win-win-win for everyone involved – our clients, employees, and company," said Jean-Charles Morisseau, Chairman of Diadeis. "There is a mutual respect for what each organization has accomplished over the years and I am confident this will ensure many more years of future success."

Diadeis' management team will all be joining sgsco, and Jean-Charles Morisseau and Guillaume Postel, CEO of Diadeis, will both assume executive roles at sgsco to assure the successful integration of the two firms, while also helping to drive results for clients.