GvW Graf von Westphalen advises Global Graphics on sale of URW to Monotype

GvW Graf von Westphalen has advised Global Graphics PLC on the sale of URW Type Foundry GmbH to the Monotype Group. 

Based in Hamburg (Germany), URW Type Foundry GmbH is an innovative font and software provider with extensive experience in designing and engineering fonts to service the needs of global brands including Daimler, Siemens, Deutsche Telekom and General Motors.

Global Graphics PLC (Euronext Brussels: GLOG) with its headquarters in Cambridge (United Kingdom) is a leading developer of platforms for digital inkjet printing and type design and development. Customers for digital inkjet technology include press manufacturers such as HP and Canon. Customers for font design include numerous international brands, from manufacturers such as Mercedes Benz and Siemens, to digital media and epublishing companies.

The Monotype Group headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts (USA), that was acquired by private equity investor HGGC in 2019, is a leading company group in the digital font industry. With the acquisition of URW Type Foundry GmbH, Monotype will expand its library of type IP to include 513 new and popular typeface families.

Under the lead of Hamburg based partner Dr Ritesh Rajani (Corporate/M&A), Global Graphics PLC was advised by a team consisting of partners Dr Malte Evers (Employment; Hamburg), Dr Christian Triebe (IP; Hamburg), Dr Frank Tschesche (Tax; Frankfurt) and Dr. Patrick Wolff (Commercial; Hamburg), associated partner Marius Bodenstedt (Employment; Hamburg) as well as associates Laurens Klinkert and Gregor R. Mertens (both Corporate/M&A; Hamburg), Dr Michael Engel and Anna Maria-Drescher (both Tax; Frankfurt) and Lena Biendl (Commercial; Munich).

This is the second transaction on which GvW has acted for Global Graphics. It had previously advised the UK company on its acquisition of URW in 2015 (more).