© Beyond Capital Partners 2023

"Even after 20 years, our desire for something new has not yet been satisfied. Together with Beyond Capital Partners, we want to reach the next level, bring our agency forward, open up new target groups and locations and attract new employees.”

Alexander Osterwald,
Founder and Managing Director von ECD International

Alexander Osterwald,
Founder and Managing Director von ECD International

"For us, Beyond Capital Partners is the ideal partner, as we are pursuing the same vision – to become one of Europe's leading experiential marketing agencies"

Jörn Pfotenhauer,
Founder and Managing Director von ECD International

Jörn Pfotenhauer,
Founder and Managing Director von ECD International

Portfolio

ECD International Holding GmbH

Purchase: August 2023

Key Figures at the Time of Acquisition

EUR 10-15 Mio.
Turnover

20 %
EBITDA

25
Employees

ECD International Holding GmbH was founded by Alexander Osterwald and Jörn Pfotenhauer in Stuttgart in 2004 and is a multidisciplinary and international full-service agency with proven expertise in the premium and luxury segment. ECD International has been established for 20 years and offers a wide range of international first-class services such as brand management, live marketing, communication, creative work, guest relations and CRM programs aiming at a demanding client base. The company offers groundbreaking “money can’t buy formats” for the world’s top brands based on their methodology called Emotional Relationship Marketing (ERM).

Together with the founders and managing directors of ECD International, Beyond Capital Partners will implement a targeted organic growth strategy with selective acquisitions and thus position the agency as the first point of contact for high-end brand events in the long term.

https://ecd-international.com

Headquarters
Stuttgart

Transaction
Buy-Out, succession solution

Industry
Agency

Business Model
Agency for Experiential Marketing

Fund Generation
Beyond Capital Partners Fund III

Team
Christoph D. Kauter, Bianca Bertsch, David D. Kyratsas

Value Creation Levers

Operational Improvements

  • Expansion of digital skills (apps, AI tools)
  • Process optimization / efficiency enhancement

Organic Growth

  • Hiring new employees
  • Attracting new customers
  • Cross-selling potential with existing customers
  • Opening of new lcoations: national and international expansion
  • Diversification of service portfolio
  • Increasing brand awareness

Inorganic Growth

  • Acquisition of specialist agencies

Current Portfolio Companies

ECD International Holding GmbH

Agency
ECD International is a multidisciplinary and internationally active full-service agency in the premium and luxury segment and offers first-class services such as brand management, live marketing, communication, creative work, guest relations and CRM programs for a demanding target group.

 

Holger Grelck Forstbaumschulen GmbH

Forestry
Holger Grelck Forstbaumschulen is one of the leading forest nurseries for seedling production in Germany and has over 100 ha of cultivable land in the Halstenbek area near Hamburg.

Soft & Cloud GmbH​

Software Distribution

Soft & Cloud is one of the leading providers of used standard software in Germany and partner for digital solutions as well as consultant for IT issues for business-to-business customers.

 

Ank Sanitätshaus + Orthopädietechnik GmbH

Healthcare

The ANK Group is the leading medical supply store group in Rhineland-Palatinate with a focus on medical supply and rehabilitation technology solutions for its customers.

Dr. Hoffmann Gebäudedienste GmbH

Industrial Cleaning

Dr. Hoffmann Gebäudedienste GmbH, based in Munich, is an established and owner-managed company for over 30 years and a nationwide facility cleaning service provider.

Wiethe Content GmbH

E-Commerce

The Wiethe Content Group is the largest e-commerce photo studio in Europe and an innovation leader in the area of ​​CGI and digitalization.

Xortec GmbH

Security and Data Communication Solutions
Xortec is a leading value-added distributor for integrated video surveillance and data communication solutions. The company’s focus is on the distribution of professional video surveillance solutions and a comprehensive range of accompanying services.

OUNDA GmbH

Optometry and Acoustics

Under the brand name “Klein, aber fein “, and with 110 shops across Germany, OUNDA is the leading group of premium opticians and acoustic solution providers in Germany.

BigCityBeats GmbH

Lifestyle & Entertainment

Since its foundation in 2005, the BigCityBeats Group has established itself among the leading producers and organizers of stadium events for club music and created a global brand core with its brand “World Club Dome”.

LDBS Lichtdienst GmbH

Lighting Technology

LDBS is a leading lighting specialist in German-speaking countries and offers B2B customers a unique complete service for all aspects of lighting.

Seals of our Portfolio Companies
ADZ-Ank
Dr-Hoffmann-Klimaneutrales_Unternehmen
Dr-Hoffmann_TUEV_ISO 901
Dr-Hoffmann_TUEV_ISO 14001
LDBS_Klima_Protect_GLS
ADZ-Soft-and-Cloud
Soft-and-Cloud_Kununu_Top_COmpany_2023
Soft-and-Cloud_Top-Dienstleister_2023
Soft-and-Cloud_Top-Empfehlung_2023
Xortec_Ökostrom
19_top-innovator-wiethe
17_gba23-wiethe
18_internetagentur23-wiethe
15_arbeitgeber-der-zukunft-wiethe
wiethe_top-service
21_wachstumschampion23-wiethe
14_annual_multimedia-wiethe
16_dca-shortlist-wiethe
24_annual_multimedia-silber24-wiethe
22_wachstumschampion24-wiethe
23_innovationsschampion24-wiethe

Former Portfolio Companies

EBERTLANG Distribution GmbH

IT / Software (B2B)

EBERTLANG, headquartered in Wetzlar, has been one of the leading value-added software distributors in the B2B segment in German-speaking Europe since its foundation in 1995.

sysob IT- Unternehmensgruppe GmbH

IT Security

sysob is a leading independent specialist distributor with over 1,200 partners and 180 top partners in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

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Get Started Now With Us

„Auch nach 20 Jahren ist unsere Lust auf Neues noch nicht gestillt. Wir möchten gemeinsam mit Beyond Capital Partners das Next Level erreichen, unsere Agentur weiter nach vorne bringen, neue Zielgruppen und Standorte erschließen und neue Mitarbeiter gewinnen."

Alexander Osterwald,
Gründer und Managing Director von ECD International

Alexander Osterwald,
Gründer und Managing Director von ECD International

„Für uns ist Beyond Capital Partners der ideale Partner, da wir die gleiche Vision verfolgen – eine der führenden europäischen Agenturen für Erlebnismarketing zu werden.”

Jörn Pfotenhauer,
Gründer und Managing Director von ECD International

Jörn Pfotenhauer,
Gründer und Managing Director von ECD International

Portfolio

ECD International Holding GmbH

Kauf: August 2023

Kennzahlen zum Erwerbszeitpunkt

EUR 10-15 Mio.
Umsatz

20 %
EBITDA

25
Mitarbeiter

ECD International wurde 2004 von Alexander Osterwald and Jörn Pfotenhauer in Stuttgart als eine der ersten Agenturen für ganzheitliche Kommunikationslösungen im internationalen Premium- und Luxus-Segment gegründet. Die multidisziplinäre und international tätige Full-Service Agentur bietet erstklassige Services wie Brand Management, Live Marketing, Communication, Creative Work, Guest Relations und CRM Programme für eine anspruchsvolle Zielgruppe an. ECD kreiert “Money Can’t Buy”-Formate auf Basis ihrer eigens entwickelten ERM-Methodik (Emotional Relationship Marketing).

Gemeinsam mit den beiden Gründern und Managing Directors von ECD International wird Beyond Capital Partners eine zielgerichtete organische Wachstumsstrategie mit selektiven Zukäufen umsetzen, um somit die Agentur langfristig als ersten Ansprechpartner für High-End-Markenevents auf dem europäischen Markt zu positionieren.

https://ecd-international.com/de