Equator Design announces purchase of Dublin-based Link Design Studios, embarking on acquisition trail
Equator Design has confirmed the acquisition of Dublin-based Link Design Studios, marking the first step in the agency’s concentrated acquisition trail.
The deal sees Equator Design gain a Southern Ireland footprint with an established Eire customer base. Link Design Studios team members, including directors Tom Fitzpatrick and Gary Orr, have been retained under the deal, with three additional roles planned for the Irish office. Link Design will now operate under the Equator name, introducing Equator’s established services to its remit.
Of the deal, Equator board director, Mark Cook, said: “We targeted Link Design Studios in view of their well-deserved reputation as a talented and creative design team, whose ethos matches the Equator global business perfectly. We look forward to growing the business to match the current Equator model and this will enable us to provide a high calibre design offering, combined with unparalleled customer service standards, for existing and potential customers throughout Ireland.”
Fitzpatrick, who was co-founder of Link Design, added: “We’re proud to call ourselves members of the Equator hub and we’re excited by the opportunity to join Equator’s global operation and benefit from its continuing investment in the business and its people…. The fact that Link Design Studios is now part of a major international design group has been very well received by our clients here in Dublin and surrounding areas.”
The deal follows Equator’s merger with Manchester-based GJ Design in April 2012 and with further expansion across global territories planned for later this year, the agency has revealed ambitious 120 per cent growth plans for the next three to five years.