LOS ANGELES, September 2, 2008 – Marlin Equity Partners, LLC is pleased to announce the acquisition of the assets of Furitechnics Group (“Furitechnics”) and the subsequent formation of Furi Brands, Inc. (“Furi Brands”). Furi Brands is a leading housewares product development company offering unique solutions to professional and home chefs, including the Rachael Ray branded line of cutlery, which established Furitechnics as a national consumer brand. Furi Brands will enter into a shared services agreement with Ultra*Pro, a Marlin portfolio company, enabling Furi Brands to leverage Ultra*Pro’s front and back office infrastructure. Furitechnics founder, Mark Henry, is staying with the new company as Chief of Product Design where he will continue to design his groundbreaking and award winning new products, such as the patented Diamond Finger and Ozitech knife sharpening systems and Furitechnics’ Gusto Grip ergonomically designed knives.
“Marlin is excited to enter the housewares market with this strong brand and product line and is committed to providing the strategic, operational and financial support necessary to effect Furi Brands’ organic growth initiatives and acquisition strategy,” stated Jonah Sulak of Marlin Equity Partners.
Mark Siegel, President of Ultra*Pro said, “we are delighted to be working with Furi Brands and are confident that by leveraging the Ultra*Pro infrastructure and distribution channels, we will significantly increase sales of Furi Brands’ market leading knife and sharpening products.”
Furi Brands will join Ultra*Pro at its headquarters in Commerce, California. Ultra*Pro’s products can be found in leading independent and mass market retailers across the U.S., Europe, Asia, South Africa and Australia.
About Marlin Equity Partners, LLC
Marlin Equity Partners, LLC is a Los Angeles, California-based private investment firm focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs in special situations. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries that are in the process of undergoing varying degrees of operational, financial or market-driven change where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources will significantly strengthen a company’s outlook and enhance value. Since 2005, Marlin Equity Partners has successfully completed 21 acquisitions across a variety of industries. For more information, please visit wwww.marlinequity.com.
About Ultra*Pro
Ultra*Pro is a leading manufacturer and marketer of branded consumer packaged goods including investment protection products for sports and gaming collectibles, photo albums and scrapbooking supplies. Additionally, Ultra*Pro, through its various subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes a broad line of jewelry, hair care, fashion pet accessories, name personalized gifts and novelties including the award winning Kooky Klicker line of collectible pens. Ultra*Pro is based in Commerce, California. For more information, please visit www.ultrapro.com, www.sevengypsies.com, www.chatterboxinc.com, and www.kookys.com.
For additional information, please contact Peter Spasov at (310) 364-0100 or via e-mail at pspasov@marlinequity.com.