Paragon Group makes a triple acquisition in growth drive

Celerity Information Services has three sites in the UK (London), US (Boston) and Spain (Madrid), currently employing 87 people. The investment in Celerity Information Services will enrich the operational capabilities of the Group and complement solutions already offered by the existing team at Paragon Customer Communications, particularly around digital and regulated communications, and identification.

ORM has more than 100 staff operating from bases in the UK (London), Poland (Jelenia Góra) and Ukraine (Kiev). ORM specialises in digital strategy, technology platforms, data, customer experience, design, brand and marketing communications. ORM will be a centre of excellence for these activities within Paragon Group, further enhancing Paragon’s existing abilities to deliver technology-driven insights for multi-channel customer communications.

Kent-based Graft, founded in 2013, delivers a marketing concierge service that includes a broad range of disciplines including big data, multi-channel marketing, postal optimisation, direct sourcing and supply-chain management, serving both corporate and not-for-profit clients.

Jeremy Walters, chief executive officer at Paragon Customer Communications UK, said: “We are delighted to welcome Celerity Information Services, ORM and Graft Services to the Paragon Group, adding their expertise to our full-service range of bespoke market-leading communications solutions.

“The acquisitions underline Paragon Group’s ongoing commitment to being the market-leading service provider for customer communications. By further strengthening our position in digital communications and identification services across the company, we hope to build our reputation as one of the most trusted and reliable service providers in the transactional, regulatory communications and identification markets.”

The order book of Howard Hunt City, as well as the company’s customer base, has also been acquired by Paragon Group as part of the deal. These acquisitions, as well as other recent deals including rcDDM in Germany, and Asf Noyelles in France, have contributed to the continuing strong growth of Paragon Group. In the past three years the Group has nearly tripled in size, employing close to 6,500 employees and recording a pro forma turnover in excess of €850m.