Effective 1 May, Invision together with the experienced founder team of TonerPartner, acquired the operating assets of Planet Sports. The new company will be led by Oliver Garnier, who was previously head of purchasing, retail & marketplace at Planet Sports.
With new shareholders and a team of 60 motivated employees, Planet Sports is returning to its roots: board-sports and e-commerce. With this strategy and the financial as well as operational backing of its new owners, Planet Sports is looking optimistically into the future.
“The partnership with our new shareholders represents a huge opportunity for Planet Sports,” according to Garnier. “We will remain an online specialist, squarely focused on surfing, snowboarding, skate-boarding as well as streetwear und associated brands.”
Invision and the founder of TonerPartner have significant joint expertise in successfully developing a profitable and rapidly growing e-commerce business. TonerPartner, is a leading online retailer for ink and toner in Europe and represents a prime example of how a financial investor and experienced operational team can transform a business into the market leader in a niche.
Invision: “In Planet Sports we identified a brand with a 25-year history, a well-known web-shop and significant improvement potential. Together with the TonerPartner founders, we are excited to embark on a new adventure with Oliver Garnier and the Planet Sports team.”
“Planet Sports will return to a profitable growth trajectory, similar to that exhibited by TonerPartner. The company will re-target its core customer base and offer them a unique shopping experience,” commented Julian Zweers, Managing Director of the TonerPartner Gruppe and new co-Managing Director of Planet Sports.
Planet Sports will continue to offer numerous leading brands in its web-shop and will also on-board exciting new brands.
“We are currently in the process of entering into partnerships with exciting new brands,” remarked Garnier. “Our customers can look forward to a new and exclusive shopping experience at Planet Sports!”
About Planet Sports GmbH
Planet Sports GmbH, based in München, has been synonymous for the past 25 years with board-sports, associated streetwear & adventure. The product offering includes numerous, globally leading brands offered through its web-shop as well as a retail outlet based in Cologne.
Further information is available at www.planet-sports.de.
About TonerPartner Gruppe
The TonerPartner Group is headquartered in Hattingen (Germany) and has over 130 employees. It is a leading European web-shop specialized in selling printing consumables to SME customers. Founded in 1993, TonerPartner has always focused on, quality, value for money and logistic excellence, serving over 2,5 million loyal customers. In 2016 Invision acquired a majority stake in TonerPartner.
Further information is available at www.tonerpartner.de.
About Invision
Invision is a leading European investor, focused on mid-market companies based in German speaking regions. Since 1997 Invision invested in over 50 companies, supporting growth with capital and value creation initiatives. Invision is a partner for entrepreneurs, managers and family shareholders. Invision Beteiligungsberatung GmbH advised the Invision V fund on this transaction.
Further information is available at www.invision.ch.
Media contacts
PLANET SPORTS GMBH
Oliver Garnier
Flössergasse 4
81369 München / Deutschland
Tel. +49 89 122 340 40
www.planet-sports.de
INVISION BETEILIGUNGSBERATUNG GMBH
Peter Kroha
Grünstrasse 23
40212 Düsseldorf / Deutschland
Tel. +49 211 936 727 50 E-Mail: info(at)invision.ch
www.invision.ch
