Roundhouse joins Affiniti marketing communications group
pharmafile | May 30, 2006 | News story | Medical Communications |Â Â Â
Adventis, the multimedia marketing group has bought healthcare advertising agency Roundhouse for 1.6 million pounds as part of its expansion within the sector.
Another healthcare advertising agency, Affiniti, is already owned by the company, and the acquisition of Roundhouse will create a combined group which will be in the top 10 of healthcare advertising in the UK.
Recent years have seen a number of independent healthcare advertising agencies bought by larger multi-national, multi-disciplinary communications groups, and Roundhouse's acquisition leaves just a handful of independent agencies remaining.
Established 10 years ago, Hertford-based Roundhouse has a number of pharmaceutical clients including Baxter, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merial, Organon, Pfizer Animal Health and Schering-Plough.
Managing Director of Roundhouse, Kevin McGetrick, commented: "The dynamics of business are changing. We believe this move will enable us to supply a more integrated offering by building up the services currently provided by Roundhouse and adding new capacity to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. When we first met Adventis, we were pleased by the sense of shared vision and believed they could become an ideal partner to move the business forward."
The current Roundhouse leadership team of Kevin McGetrick, Heather Maggs, Ian Prosser and David Wyatt will stay on for three years, and the agency will continue to operate from its Hertford base for the near future.
Adventis has also bought media planning and buying agency Coltman, which specialises in financial services. The company has been bought for 1.5 million pounds and will be merged with Adventis' existing media buying division, Adgenda Media.
Charles Phillpot, chief executive of Adventis, stated: "These two acquisitions are an important milestone in the growth of the group. We have sought to expand our existing business in the healthcare sector and have examined many potential partners. Roundhouse was chosen due to their outstanding client base, level of management experience and the excellence of the service they offer. We are confident that having Roundhouse and Affiniti in the group will generate a large and vibrant healthcare business that can exploit its premier market position."
Phillpot said the merging of Coltman and Adgenda Media would also make a significant new player in the media buying field, and added that the company was continuing to consider other acquisitions in 2006.
