Nodor, owner of Red Dragon and Winmau darts brands has sold a majority share

Nodor, Red Dragon, and Winmau SOLD!

Dartboard and darts manufacturer Nodor Group, owner of dart brands Red Dragon and Winmau has sold a majority shareholding to European private equity firm Inflexion!

Nodor, Red Dragon, and Winmau SOLD!

Nodor group is the parent company of darts manufacturers Red Dragon and Winmau. The family run company has been around for over 100 years and employs over 1000 people across 3 continents as well as sponsoring many leading dart players.

Under the Red Dragon label the Nodor group has had huge success in recent years with current world champion Luke Humphries following on from stablemates Peter Wright and Gerwyn Price. The Winmau brand is the official board sponsor of the PDC and has such players as Michael van Gerwen and Joe Cullen under their umbrella.

Red Dragon, sponsor of world champion Luke Humphries SOLD!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The announcement of the purchase broke yesterday in the financial press and I am led to believe that Inflexion is typically invollved in deals between 25 and 500 million pounds. A significant investment has been made it would seem!

Darts is a no brainer for Venture Capital

With darts having exploded in the past 12-18 months across the globe it is no surprise to see Venture capital money coming to the table (I myself recentlty had the pleasure of consulting for a company keen to get involved in the sport). A number of years ago online retailer Darts Corner sold a minority shareholding to a VC (thus aquiring the Mission brand) and whilst the online shop might not have been the success they hoped (so far), the Mission brand will certainly be helping towards a potential ROI.

This investment into the Nodor Group will enable them to vastly expand their operations. Increased production, more retail outlets for the customer, and further investment into product develiopment are just some of the things we should see in the coming years.

Quotes from the sale of Nodor:

Vince Buck, Managing Director of the Nodor Group:

“Inflexion’s experience in developing marketing leading businesses will ensure Nodor is well positioned to continue to be a driving force in the rapidly growing darts market. We are excited about what we can achieve together and look forward to bringing the sport to even more people across the world.”

Head of the buyout fund at Inflexion Flor Kasai:

“We are delighted to be backing the existing family led management team at Nodor Group, a company at the forefront of the darts industry that exemplifies innovation and excellence. Inflexion’s experience in growing businesses globally aligns perfectly with Nodor’s ambitious goals. We look forward to working with the talented team at Nodor to help them to capitalise on the sports’ growing appeal.”

Note: A majority shareholding means that the new group has bought a minimum of 51% of shares in the Nodor Group and as such has the most voting rights in the deal. If my memory serves the DC deal was published as being a minority buyout with the group having taken 49% of the shares (but don’t quote me in that)

Exciting times ahead for darts

With this sale I am already looking forward to seeing what new ideas and technologies will be introducced into darts in the coming years. The Winmau Blade series of dartboards has always been at the forefront of new technology and player satisfaction and more could well be possible very soon!

As the sport continues to grow, and it certainly seems to be, we could well see more and more cash flowing into the sport through sponsorships and venture capital. Could more takeovers or buyins be coming soon?