MERCHANDISING: RC GROUP REORGANIZES ITS CAPITAL TO ACCELERATE ACQUISITIONS
Over the last ten years, RC Group , the point-of-sale communication specialist, has diversified its activities considerably.
In the last six years alone, the Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) based company, which targets luxury brands (beauty, perfume, fashion, leather goods, etc.) for 90% of its business, has completed seven acquisitions. A sustained pace that is set to accelerate even further: following a reorganization of its capital, the company is now aiming for two or three acquisitions a year over the next five years.
In preparation for its handover, Chairman Raphaël Cohen, who founded the company in 1990, has sold around half of his 51% stake in the company. These have been taken over by a group of around fifty RC Group executives, led by Managing Director David Chantepie. For its part, Crédit Mutuel Equity , which has held a 40% stake in the company since 2018, has opted to retain its stake by reinjecting funds.
Strengthening and expanding the group
Combined with new lines of credit released by banks, this new round of financing enables the company of some 500 employees to think bigger. “The first objectives are to accelerate the digitalization and structuring of the group,” says David Chantepie. Today, the twenty entities making up the group are autonomous, simply linked by a common back-office. This backbone is to be strengthened by a common strategy, and within five years the group will have 1,000 employees and sales of 200 million euros, compared with 135 million in 2023.
This objective is to be achieved through organic growth as well as new acquisitions. “We are already actively looking at ten or so companies whose acquisition could complement our know-how, always aimed at luxury-related customers, but also our geographical presence,” assures David Chantepie.
Present in twelve countries (including European neighbors, China and Dubai), the group is looking to expand, while strengthening its existing subsidiaries. He mentions Italy and Switzerland in particular. Although RC Group has set up subsidiaries there, “they are growing much more slowly than in Spain, Belgium or Germany, for example, where we have bought up local companies. We therefore need to do the same in these two countries”, notes the CEO.
In the longer term, he has his sights set on the United States. He has already set up a sales force there, but is waiting to study the market more thoroughly before considering a takeover.
In the last six years alone, the Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine) based company, which targets luxury brands (beauty, perfume, fashion, leather goods, etc.) for 90% of its business, has completed seven acquisitions. A sustained pace that is set to accelerate even further: following a reorganization of its capital, the company is now aiming for two or three acquisitions a year over the next five years.
In preparation for its handover, Chairman Raphaël Cohen, who founded the company in 1990, has sold around half of his 51% stake in the company. These have been taken over by a group of around fifty RC Group executives, led by Managing Director David Chantepie. For its part, Crédit Mutuel Equity , which has held a 40% stake in the company since 2018, has opted to retain its stake by reinjecting funds.
Strengthening and expanding the group
Combined with new lines of credit released by banks, this new round of financing enables the company of some 500 employees to think bigger. “The first objectives are to accelerate the digitalization and structuring of the group,” says David Chantepie. Today, the twenty entities making up the group are autonomous, simply linked by a common back-office. This backbone is to be strengthened by a common strategy, and within five years the group will have 1,000 employees and sales of 200 million euros, compared with 135 million in 2023.
This objective is to be achieved through organic growth as well as new acquisitions. “We are already actively looking at ten or so companies whose acquisition could complement our know-how, always aimed at luxury-related customers, but also our geographical presence,” assures David Chantepie.
Present in twelve countries (including European neighbors, China and Dubai), the group is looking to expand, while strengthening its existing subsidiaries. He mentions Italy and Switzerland in particular. Although RC Group has set up subsidiaries there, “they are growing much more slowly than in Spain, Belgium or Germany, for example, where we have bought up local companies. We therefore need to do the same in these two countries”, notes the CEO.
In the longer term, he has his sights set on the United States. He has already set up a sales force there, but is waiting to study the market more thoroughly before considering a takeover.