With Three New Acquisitions this Month, Visual Edge has Now Acquired Over 20 Companies

Visual Edge Technology of North Canton, Ohio, reported earlier this month that it had acquired three office-equipment dealers for undisclosed sums.

Visual Edge Technology acquired COUNSEL and Midwest Office Automations (MOA), marking its 22nd acquisition since it began acquiring companies in the Unites States.

Visual Edge’s vice president of business planning and analysis, David Ramos commented: “As we continue to build out our national strategy, our focus remains seeking successful entrepreneurs, like Joel Longtin, who want to join our strategy.”

COUNSEL and MOA are office-solutions providers of copier/MFPs, printers, 3D printers, document-management solutions, and IT services. While Visual Edge will provide back-room and administrative support to both companies, the day-to-day operations of the companies will remain unchanged, serving the western half of Iowa (COUNSEL), led by Mark Rasmussen, and the eastern half of Nebraska (MOA), led by TJ Goltl.

The company, founded 27 years ago, is no stranger to mergers. In fact, COUNSEL and MOA are the products of four previous acquisitions. In 2004, Joel and Karen Longtin bought Bro Business of Harlan, IA and changed the name to COUNSEL. In 2011, the Longtins acquired MOA and expanded their technology offerings to Nebraska, maintaining the leadership position of its minorship partner, Goltl.

Earlier this month, Visual Edge Technology also acquired CopyRight, and joined it with long-time competitor Graphic Enterprises Office Solutions, Inc.

The acquisition is said to be “right in line with Visual Edge’s strategy of buying strong dealerships, namely smaller ones like CopyRight, and uniting them with one of the company’s existing businesses, like Graphic Enterprises.”

The two dealerships have long competed with one another but had “a healthy respect for one another,” says Visual Edge Technology Chief Operating Officer and President of Graphic Enterprises Brian Frank. So much so, that when Randy Muntean, founder of CopyRight Muntean was looking to retire and enjoy the fruits of his labor, he reached out to Frank.

In a letter sent to CopyRight customers earlier this month, Muntean stated that it was important to find a local company that could carry on his legacy. “Graphic Enterprises has been a leader in the industry for nearly 50 years and I am confident that they will carry on CopyRight’s legacy of excellent service on a consistent basis,” says Muntean.

“He really respected the way we have taken care of our customers over the years. He was really looking out for his customers and he chose us,” says Frank. “This will be a seamless transition, with the only real change being the name. The customers chose to work with CopyRight for a reason, and I want to allow them to continue with the same feeling, as if they were still working with Randy”

With strategic growth plans ahead for Graphic Enterprises, Frank added, “There are a lot of entrepreneurs out there who are looking for someone to partner with so eventually they have an exit strategy,” says Frank, “This is a win-win for CopyRight and Graphic Enterprises.”

More Resources

• February 2018: Visual Edge Technology Acquires Zymphony Technology Solutions, ZANCO, Fastforward
• December 2017: Benchmark Business Acquisition Marks Visual Edge’s Seventh Acquisition this Year
• November 2017: Visual Edge Technology Acquires HP Dealer AXSA