Thames Valley based corporate finance advisers James Cowper Corporate Finance LLP has completed the sale of merchandising solutions manufacturer PPE to HL Display AB (publ), a Swedish listed business for £27m.

PPE is one of Europe's leading designers and manufacturers of bespoke Point of Purchase (POP) displays and merchandising solutions as well as standard products, servicing mainly brand manufacturers.

The company is especially strong within ‘secondary placement’ – exposure off the store shelf – including floor stands built using a combination of different materials such as metal, plastic and wood, combined with printed effects.

PPE  currently employs approximately 280 staff and is located in Harlow. PPE was founded in 1971 and will continue to be led by brothers Neil and Nigel Parker.

Stewart Lambert, the James Cowper Corporate Finance partner who led the assignment, supported by Stuart Williams, said: “We are delighted to complete the deal on behalf of the shareholders. PPE is a great business and the synergies created as part of the acquisition will allow the Company to offer a wider range of products to its current client base as well as to meet the bespoke manufacturing requirements of the acquirer, HL Display.”

PPE joint managing director Neil Parker said: “We were delighted by the energy and expertise of the James Cowper Corporate Finance team. They worked hard to negotiate the optimum price for the company and assist us through the negotiations to a successful completion. Their knowledge of the finer points of the completion process gave us peace of mind in exiting from what has been our life’s work.”

Adam Dowdney and Rishi Sharma of Pitmans solicitors worked with James Cowper Corporate Finance acting for the vendors.