The United States Playing Card Company (USPC) is now officially part of the Belgian group Cartamundi. This operation allows the game manufacturer to add prestigious card brands such as Bicycle, Bee, Hoyle and Fournier to its portfolio. Michael Slaughter, the USPC's CEO, becomes a member of Cartamundi's executive committee.
The USPC employs approximately 350 people and has two plants, one in the United States and one in Spain. For the year 2018, it has a turnover of 112 million dollars. The Cartamundi Group now operates 13 manufacturing plants and its turnover is expected to exceed 550 million dollars (500 million euros).
This acquisition, announced last June, is part of the strategy of the Cartamundi Group, manufacturer of Monopoly and Pokémon cards, to strengthen its position in the international card sector for the general public, magicians and casinos.
"These are exciting times for Cartamundi, states in a statement Stefaan Merckx, CEO of Cartamundi. The addition of the USPC allows us to immediately take advantage of the growth in playing card sales in the United States. The USPC's leadership position in Spain is highly complementary to Cartamundi's European footprint and fits perfectly with our strategic growth plans"
The Belgian group also intends to take advantage of the renewed interest in card magic, the growth of the specialised and personalised card segment and the growth of cardistry (artistic manipulation of cards without magic), which offer strong growth potential for the group.
