Harris Williams & Co. Advises FFR-DSI in its Sale to Olympus Partners

Harris Williams & Co. announces that FFR Holding Corporation (FFR-DSI), a portfolio company of Cortec Group Fund III, L.P. (Cortec), has been acquired by Olympus Partners. The transaction closed on July 11, 2011. Harris Williams & Co. acted as the exclusive financial advisor to FFR-DSI. The transaction was led by John Neuner, Chris Williams, Brent Spiller and Chip Duggins from the firm's Richmond office.

"Having previously sold FFR-DSI to Cortec, we are excited to have had the opportunity to continue our relationship with the company and to help management find a partner that shares their vision for the company's future. FFR-DSI is truly a market leader and we look forward to following the continued success of the business as they grow and expand the great platform they have built", said John Neuner, managing director at Harris Williams & Co.

FFR-DSI is the leading North American designer, marketer and value-added supplier of merchandising, loss prevention and operational efficiency solutions primarily to retailers, consumer packaged goods companies, printers, display companies and advertising promotional agencies. FFR-DSI's solutions provide multiple benefits and ultimately enhance profitability for customers by driving incremental sales through influencing the consumer at the point of purchase, reducing retail theft, lowering labor costs and improving store appearance. Since its founding nearly 50 years ago, the company has steadily evolved from a catalog distributor of retail fasteners and components to the only supplier that offers a full suite of merchandising solutions across the entire store footprint. Through its commitment to innovative product design, lowest-cost global sourcing, superior operating performance and leadership from the industry's premier management team, FFR-DSI holds the #1 market position in North America.

"With the thought leadership and support of our sponsors at the Cortec Group, we were able to develop a road map for success, inclusive of our acquisition and integration of Displays Specialties, which was a major building block for our Total Retail Solutions strategy. We are excited to take this platform to the next level with our new equity team, Olympus Partners, especially with their commitment to help capitalize our continued growth through both organic and acquisitive means," according to Stan Burson, CEO of FFR-DSI.

Cortec, headquartered in New York, NY, is a leading middle market private equity firm. Cortec primarily makes control and growth equity investments, typically in established middle market companies in the manufacturing, distribution, healthcare and service industries.

Based in Stamford, CT, Olympus is a private equity investment fund focused on the business services, transportation and logistics services, healthcare and manufacturing services, financial services, consumer and restaurant, and software and IT services industries. Olympus invests in both control and minority investments and has made over 50 investments since 1988.