PostNord Stålfors acquires the 21 Grams Group

The Nordic Communication solution provider, PostNord Strålfors, today announced it has signed an agreement with Unifiedpost Group SA (Euronext Brussels: UPG), a leading provider of integrated business communications for the sale of all shares in the 21 Grams Group in the Nordics. At the same time, they have signed a strategic commercial partnership regarding digital services in the B2B segment.

PostNord Strålfors and 21 Grams complement each other well and both companies have considerable experience in customer communication services. Clear synergy benefits both in terms of solutions and competencies that strengthen the service offering for its customers, are expected to emerge from the transaction.

The exclusive strategic commercial partnership with Unifiedpost will enable PostNord Strålfors to offer new B2B services to the Nordic market. It includes:

• Offering eInvoicing via the Banqup platform to the Nordic market
• Enabling full operability for eInvoices, in the EU and globally,via the Unifiedpost network.
• Be the preferred partner for UnifiedPost eInvoice offering in the Nordics.

Lisbet Karlsson, acting CEO of PostNord Strålfors Group

“PostNord Strålfors is a full-service provider in the customer communication market, delivering distribution and software services to the leading companies in the Nordics. With the acquisition of 21 Grams, and the strategic partnership with Unifiedpost, we can offer our joint customers a significantly wider offering with a Nordic reach”, says Lisbet Karlsson, acting CEO of PostNord Strålfors Group.

Commenting on the announcement, Hans Leybaert, CEO and founder of Unifiedpost, stated:

"We remain focused on our strategy of growing core digital services and divesting non-core traditional services. We continue to take a systematic approach and are pleased that we have reached an agreement to sell 21 Grams. I want to thank our employees in the Nordics for their significant contribution to our company over the years. We also remain committed to transforming portfolio rationalisation into mutually beneficial partnerships. By combining our digital expertise with PostNord Strålfors’ extensive network, we are well-positioned to drive innovation and deliver value to our customers in the Nordic market”.

Transaction details

To strengthen the collaboration and ensure our common strategic goals and interests in the partnership, both parties have committed to significant investments during the coming years. This financial commitment aims to ensure the future sustainability and success of the partnership, providing the necessary resources for continued growth, innovation, and adaptation to evolving market dynamics.

Mattias Norén, Head of Strategy and Business Development

“We see PostNord Strålfors and 21 Grams as a great match to further evolve the offering within the customer communication management segment ,we also look forward to      leveraging the partnership with Unifiedpost and their Banqup solution combined with our strong B2B offering in the Nordics”, says Mattias Norén, Head of Strategy and Business Development.

The 21 Grams Group generated total revenue of €83,2 million in 2023 with a gross margin of 15,5% (of which the digital processing revenue was €28,5 million (mainly B2C) with a gross margin of 21,1%). The transaction is primarily related to Strålfors Swedish operations but will also have minor impact on the other Nordic countries. As of 31 December 2023, the 21 Grams group employed 89 full-time equivalents.

The transaction's completion is subject to (i) the approval from the relevant competition authorities, (ii) FDI approval and (iii) certain additional relevant closing conditions and is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

Media contact PostNord Strålfors:
Rebecka Mathers
Communications
PostNord Strålfors Group
rebecka.mathers@stralfors.se

Media contact Unifiedpost:
Alex Nicoll
Investor Relations
Unifiedpost Group
alex.nicoll@unifiedpost.com

About PostNord Strålfors

PostNord Strålfors simplifies the communication of invoices and vital business information between companies and their customers and partners. Our omnichannel solution enables companies and organisations to engage with customers, citizens and members through their preferred channels, while our integration solutions automate business processes.

We are a market leader in customer communication management and a critical part of the Nordic communication infrastructure, handling over 1 billion transactions annually, generating SEK 2.2 billion in turnover (2023). PostNord Strålfors operates in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland and is part of the PostNord Group, the leading provider of communication and logistics services in the Nordic region.

For more information, go to stralfors.com

About Unifiedpost Group

Unifiedpost is a leading cloud-based platform for SME business services built on “Documents”, “Identity” and “Payments”. Unifiedpost operates and develops a 100% cloud-based platform for administrative and financial services that allows real-time and seamless connections between Unifiedpost’s customers, their suppliers, their customers, and other parties along the financial value chain. With its one-stop-shop solutions, Unifiedpost’s mission is to make administrative and financial processes simple and smart for its customers.

For more information, go to unifiedpostgroup.com