As reported Monday in a Counselor Breaking News Alert, Top 40 distributor Geiger (asi/202900) has acquired BTC Group, a U.K.-based promotional products distributorship. Now a subsidiary of Lewiston, ME-based Geiger, “Geiger BTC Group,” as the firm has been rebranded, will support clients in the U.K. and across Europe. Terms of the deal between the companies were not revealed.

Frank Murphy, managing director of BTC Group, will continue in that leadership role at Geiger BTC Group. Murphy will report to Geiger Chief Operating Officer Jo-an Lantz, who will have a spot on BTC’s board. Geiger will maintain a separate board from BTC, company executives told Counselor.

Podcast

In this exclusive podcast with Counselor’s Christopher Ruvo, Geiger CEO Gene Geiger and Chief Operating Officer Jo-an Lantz share insights into what the major international deal means.

Gene Geiger, who continues as CEO of Geiger, told Counselor that BTC can help Geiger grow its business in Europe and beyond. The U.K. firm gives the Maine-based company a strong, local presence in the European market – a presence high-profile clients with a global reach increasingly demand to get the best out of their marketing in every locale they operate in, Geiger executives said.

Indeed, BTC Group can help fuel sales expansion with existing clients and help Geiger attract new clients that do business in North America and internationally, Gene Geiger told Counselor. “This is a watershed opportunity for our firm, merging with the UK’s market leader. This is really a case of one plus one equaling three and more,” said Gene Geiger, noting that Geiger and BTC have been partners for years, including mutual membership in the World Advertising Gift Exchange, a global network for promotional products distributors. “We know them. We trust them. And, we both have strong cultures that fit well together,” he said. Both brands will continue their participation in WAGE, with Geiger representing the U.S. and BTC representing the U.K., Lantz told Counselor.

BTC is excited to be joining Geiger’s “expanding global network,” Murphy said. “We have known each other for years and have worked together on many projects. Because our companies have similar cultures and each bring unique strengths, this formal joining of companies will enable us to better provide the enhanced services that multi-national customers are requiring of their business partners.”

With reported 2016 North American promotional products sales of $180.1 million, Geiger ranked 10th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry. Company executives declined to say how much revenue the BTC acquisition is projected to add in 2018. Geiger operates 16 divisional offices across the U.S. and is affiliated with over 550 independent sales representatives. Founded in 1977, BTC Group has a staff of 55 and is based at Hayes in Middlesex.