The story of Gimmersta Wallpaper begins with Grandpa Folke, who took his first steps in the wallpaper industry in the 1920s. Almost a century later, Irene and Christofer Gimmersta continued the legacy by founding Gimmersta Wallpaper. With a vision to revolutionise a traditional industry, they built a digital business model that quickly challenged a market in need of change.
When Gimmersta Wallpaper was looking for a professional partner who could support its goal of becoming a market leader in the premium segment, we acted as advisor. We helped identify the right investors and run a smooth transaction process. With its unique business model and strong market position, Gimmersta Wallpaper was an attractive investment, and our strategic advice ensured that the company was matched with the right partner – Priveq.
"Competitors are stuck in an old-fashioned business model, while Gimmersta Wallpaper has integrated the entire value chain digitally, from design and production to marketing and sales. They have changed the potential of the market," says Andreas Klavebäck, Associate Director at Clearwater, who advised on the process. "They have also shown that they can integrate new brands and quickly make them profitable. Two factors that financial investors value highly.”
Efficiency in an uncertain market
Despite a sluggish M&A market, an efficient timeline was maintained. Gimmersta Wallpaper's clear structure, data management and eagle eye on all key figures made the due diligence process unusually smooth.
"We prepared the company well before entering the market, which allowed us to complete the process quickly and avoid pitfalls. The team at Gimmersta Wallpaper is very competent and has full control over the numbers," says Andreas Klavebäck.
Competent people and strong teams
"We had an open and transparent dialogue with the owners throughout the process. They were extremely committed, quick to make decisions and had a clear vision for the company. This made our job as advisors both easy and fun. It has been a fantastic journey to help Gimmersta Wallpaper find the right investor in Priveq," says Joel Ejdesjö.
Priveq became the right partner to support Gimmersta Wallpaper's continued growth. The founders remain with a majority stake after the transaction and will continue to actively participate in the company's development going forward, together with Priveq. The close collaboration between Clearwater and Gimmersta Wallpaper enabled a good process and an even better outcome.
"We are extremely grateful for the Clearwater team's dedicated efforts, professionalism and support throughout the process. Their availability, expertise and humble attitude make them deserve the best possible rating," says Irene Gimmersta, CEO and founder of Gimmersta Wallpaper.
"Gimmersta Wallpaper has changed the potential of the market"
Gimmersta Wallpaper has challenged the traditional wallpaper industry through digital production and direct online sales. In addition to its innovative business model, Gimmersta Wallpaper also has a strong financial profile and a proven ability to make acquisitions.
"Competitors are stuck in an old-fashioned business model, while Gimmersta Wallpaper has integrated the entire value chain digitally, from design and production to marketing and sales. They have changed the potential of the market," says Andreas Klavebäck, Associate Director at Clearwater, who advised on the process. "They have also shown that they can integrate new brands and quickly make them profitable. Two factors that financial investors value highly.”
Identifying the perfect investor
We worked actively to identify potential investors, create competition and secure a structured transaction. Educating investors about Gimmersta Wallpaper’s digital and disruptive business model was an important part of the process. Many investors still see the wallpaper industry as traditional and analogue. We focused on positioning Gimmersta Wallpaper correctly – explaining why they are different from the competition and why its business model is future-proof.
“We saw early on that Priveq was a good match, but we ran a broad process to ensure the best possible outcome,” says Joel Ejdesjö, Associate at Clearwater. “Many of the investors prefer majority ownership, which made it important to find a player who could see the value in a minority stake and still contribute strategically.”
Clearwater advisers
Success stories
