Toyrock-Group has acquired 100 % shares of Ilmapallokeskus Balloon Center Oy

Espoo/Turku | 27th June 2023

PRESS RELEASE – [FREE TO PUBLISH]

Toyrock-Group has acquired 100 % shares of Ilmapallokeskus Balloon Center Oy.

Toyrock-Group has acquired 100 % shares of the Ilmapallokeskus Balloon Center Oy in a deal made 21st of June. Ilmapallokeskus is the leading importer, marketer and distributor of balloons and party items in Finland. The founders of Ilmapallokeskus Balloon Center Oy, Jonna and Petri Nieminen, will in their future roles be part of the group management and also have an extensive ownership of the group. Evolver Fund I – controlled by Finnish private equity investor Evolver Equity Ab – remains as the largest owner of the group.

Ilmapallokeskus Balloon Center Oy has been developing the Finnish balloon and party culture since 1991. For the current financial year the turnover is expected to reach 12.6 MEUR. With the help of efficient logistics operations quality party products are distributed to key retailers, customers and consumers all over Finland.

Over 70 party professionals work for the company together with seasonal help especially during the peak seasons of 1st of May and Halloween. As a market leader the safety and quality of the products are of high importance, hence the selection comes from the largest suppliers in the global industry. As part of the M&A deal company sees Toyrock as a partner who can supply better resources for growth and development even outside the borders of Finland.

“We are proud to have a possibility to join forces with Toyrock the leading actor of toy business in Finland. Our co-operation will enable us to secure growth even in the future. Internationalizing of our business is our core target. The growth shall continue with customers and employees in our focus also in the future.” – Jonna ja Petri Nieminen.

”Ilmapallokeskus has reached status of the leading actor by connecting Finnish customers together with Global suppliers offering them seamless customer service and providing winning sales concepts. Part of the strategy for Toyrock-group is to join forces with profitable companies that show the spirit of growth. We see a great potential in the work done by Jonna and Petri and their personnel also in the future.” – Mika Kalpamaa, Group CEO comment.

Simultaneously the Board of the Group has appointed a new CEO. Martin Netinder (55) will start in his position the 14th of August 2023. The current group CEO Mika Kalpamaa will remain as a significant shareholder but also step in as member of the board in all group companies. In addition to this he will remain available as advisor to the management on case-by-case basis.

“We want to express our gratitude to Mika, the founder of Toyrock, and welcome him into his new role as board member. Our core target for the group is to secure the international growth and we believe that with the help of Martin and the personnel of both Toyrock and Ilmapallokeskus we will succeed in the endeavours towards our targets. We will also continue to develop our sustainability program further to reach the goal of being a leading actor also in this segment.” – Lasse Kittelsen, Chairman of the Board comment.

More information:

Petri Nieminen, CEO Ilmapallokeskus Oy, tel. +358 40 543 8006, nieminen@ilmapallokeskus.fi
Mika Kalpamaa, Group CEO Toyrock Oy, tel. +358 50 514 7031, mika@toyrock.fi
Lasse Kittelsen, Managing Partner, Evolver Equity Ab, tel. +358 40 762 1230, kittelsen@evolverequity.com
Martin Netinder, Group CEO starting 14.8.2023, tel. +46 70 851 00 10