Thomsons Buy Publishing Firms

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30602, 19 November 1964, Page 3

Thomsons Buy Publishing Firms

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, November 18.

The Thomson Organisation, Ltd., in its second venture into the New Zealand publishing field the first was the unsuccessful bid for the “Dominion” last year —has acquired the entire share capital of Breckell and Nicholls, Ltd., the National Printing Company, Ltd., and Breckell Lloyd, Ltd.

The announcement was made today after several days of negotiation. Talks originally were begun in London

last August by Mr J. A. Breckell. chairman of directors of the companies. Breckell and Nicholls, Ltd., is a large trade magazine publisher with a total of nine monthly journals and five annuals, mostly in the industrial field.

There will be no change in management policy or staff, although the boards of directors has been strengthened by the election of Messrs G. C. Brunton and E. G. Hedgcock, of Thomson Publications, Ltd., and Mr G. Ledgard, of Auckland. Commenting on the takeover, Mr Breckell said: “I am sure that this arrangement can bring nothing but good to the companies and the industries they serve.” Commenting on behalf of’ the Thomson Organisation, Mr Hedgcock, who has been in Auckland carrying out the

’negotiations, said he was delighted the negotiations had now been successfully concluded. He was sure the companies would prosper and develop in the new organisation. He said that under the new ownership, Breckell and Nicholls, Ltd., and the National Printing Company would obtain every possible assistance and access to the most modern publishing techniques of the Thomson Organisation throughout the world and would have access to the sale forces of Thomson Publication, in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa and Rhodesia. Breckell and Nicholls, the publishing company, has a nominal capital of £3OOO. The National Printing Company, which operates a plant at Glen Innes established about 'a year ago, has a nominal

capital of £3OOO. Breckell and I Lloyd, owner of Breckell and iNicholl properties, has a noIminal capital of £25,000. ■ Mr Breckell. said today that all present magazines would 'continue to be published, and that future expansion was under consideration.

The present directors are Mr Breckell (chairman), Mr J. B. Nicholls (managing director), and Mr A. C. Thom (the firms’ accountant). The price Thomson’s paid for the take-over has not been disclosed.