The deal completed last night (16 November).

Moss said the move accelerates its strategy of building sustainable, high-quality branded experiences for its global clients, underpinned by a consistent, reliable, and proven service and delivery model.

“The UK is clearly an established and vibrant market for experiential, entertainment, sport and retail brand marketers,” said Moss president and CEO Jason Popp.

“Many of our customers are already active in the UK and we are delighted to partner with both a high calibre team and a strong business to accelerate our vision of being a truly global production partner for branded experiences.”

Moss is a portfolio company of investment funds managed by EagleTree Capital, a New York City-based private equity firm.

The Moss global headquarters and production facility is in Franklin Park, Illinois, near O’Hare Airport in Chicago but the business has a longstanding presence and customer base in mainland Europe, with offices and operations in Germany and a recently opened facility in Poland.

“We are delighted to welcome the talented MacroArt team and their clients to Moss and look forward to an exciting future ahead,” Popp added.

“Our footprint of production facilities in the US, Germany, Poland, and now the UK ensures we are able to support clients in a consistent and effective way regardless of where their branded experience is.”

Established in 1992, St Neots-based MacroArt serves clients across live events, retail, sport, heritage, property, and visitor attractions.

MacroArt managing director Michael Green and the senior leadership team of MacroArt will remain in their roles, reporting to Popp.

Green described the Moss acquisition as “a testament to the talent of our people and the loyalty of our customers”.

Speaking to Printweek today, he said: “We were approached by Moss around seven or eight months ago. Jason Popp was having a discussion with David Humphreys of Green Circle Solutions, because they know each other well, and said they were really interested in entering the UK branding arena.”

MacroArt has been working with Green Circle Solutions on its sustainability drive for a few years, having initially commissioned a formal ‘top to bottom’ review of its green credentials from the organisation in 2021 as part of its initiative to reduce its environmental impact.

Green added: “The UK market is really important for Moss, and it was recommended that they come and talk to us. We haven’t rushed it – it’s been a case of me going over and seeing their facility in Chicago – walking in and thinking ‘this is exactly what I want MacroArt to be and my aspiration for where MacroArt needs to go’.

“It was almost about looking at MacroArt in four years’ time, and trying to grow that capability organically could have been a challenge, so it’s an opportunity that works for both parties. The important thing is, we weren’t for sale – they’ve bought us because of our robust financials and because of our severe bounce back from the effects of Covid. They like our culture and the fact that we are serious about sustainability.

“Our cultures are nearly mirrors – they care about and develop their people a lot, as do we – so in terms of an acquirer I couldn’t really wish for a better business to be doing it.”

Green said the opportunity for MacroArt’s customer base is huge as “we can pool knowledge, share resources, and share best practice – it all makes a lot of sense”.

All 98 staff at MacroArt, which will turn over “north of £14m” this year, will be kept on and will remain based at their current premises. The company’s branding as part of Moss is yet to be confirmed.

“The mandate is to grow and to be a major player in the UK market. There’s a well-planned growth strategy,” Green added.

In September, MacroArt installed a SwissQprint Nyala 4 flatbed printer to enable it to print on a wider variety of substrates faster than with the largely hybrid stable of printers it had run before.

The machine joined a Durst P5 350 dye-sublimation printer, two 5m Durst P5s, and a Canon Colorado in the company’s main production lineup, as well as Mimaki kit.