Czech CSG Group, the global industrial-technology company owned by Czech entrepreneur Michal Strnad, announces the purchase of the majority stake in the Italian, family-owned Armi Perazzi S.p.A., manufacturer of high-quality shotguns for sport shooters and elite hunters. Typical owners of these premium firearms, of which Perazzi produces approximately 1,500 units per year, are Olympic medalists, successful competitive shooters being amongst them. One such individual is the Czech Olympic gold medal winner in trap from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, David Kostelecký.
CSG also operates two small-caliber ammunition factories in the USA.
The company's founder was Daniele Perazzi, an Italian gunsmith who realized his dream of producing the highest-quality shotguns worldwide when he founded the Armi Perazzi company in 1957. Currently, the company is led by the founder's descendants, Mauro and Roberta Perazzi. CSG acquires an 80-percent stake in the company while the Perazzi siblings share the remaining 20 percent equally. The business will continue to be run by the Perazzi family and the current management team. The acquisition process on the selling side was assisted by the Milan-based consulting and investment company FAI, with legal advice provided by the law firm Gianni & Origoni.
The purchase of Perazzi is CSG's second major acquisition in Italy. Last year, the company acquired a majority stake in Fiocchi Munizioni, the manufacturer of small-caliber ammunition, which operates production facilities in Italy, the UK, and the USA (where it has two production sites: one in Ozark, Missouri, and the second in Little Rock, Arkansas). Perazzi serves the American market through its subsidiary, Perazzi USA Inc., in Azusa, California. Perazzi USA is the sole importer and distributor for the United States market.
Mauro Perazzi said, "The decision to find a strategic partner to whom we would sell a majority stake in the company was motivated by our desire to ensure a secure future, sustainable growth, and strengthen the company’s unique position in the global luxury arms market. We decided to partner with CSG, which also has roots as a family business, because CSG understands our history and business philosophy."
Roberta Perazzi added, "With CSG's entry into Armi Perazzi, we expect to strengthen our competitiveness. We see CSG as a strong, successful multinational company that will allow us to continue to produce prestigious hunting and sporting firearms. CSG will help us succeed in the market and open up new business opportunities with its experience."
Michal Strnad, owner of CSG, commented on the acquisition of Armi Perazzi: "Armi Perazzi is a prestigious brand in the field of firearms for sport shooters and elite hunters. At the same time, it is a stable and prosperous company that the Perazzi family excellently manages. The motivation for this acquisition is not only financial but also to strengthen CSG's international prestige and reputation as a global and innovative industrial group expanding in Europe and the USA."
CSG's manager responsible for the acquisition of Armi Perazzi and its future development is CSG Investment Director Stanislav Kuba, who summarizes the goals for the company's further development: "We want to maintain the excellence and exclusivity of Armi Perazzi products, bring new customers to the company, and also to leverage its strong brand, especially in connecting CSG further to the shooting sports."
A long-time user of Perazzi shotguns is sport shooter and successful Czech trapshooting competitor David Kostelecký, who commented on the fact that the company is being acquired by a Czech owner: "I have an excellent partnership with Armi Perazzi that has lasted for over twenty years. They provide me not only with their great shotguns, but also with constant service and support. I know Mauro and Roberta Perazzi very well, having visited their Lombardy factory on several occasions. They are great people and responsible entrepreneurs. I am very happy that this prestigious Italian company is becoming a part of CSG, and I look forward to continuing our relationship."
Recently, CSG also announced signing an agreement with the NYSE-listed US company Vista Outdoor to acquire its Sporting Products division, which manufactures leading global brands of small-caliber ammunition such as Federal and Remington. The acquisition of Armi Perazzi proves that CSG is systematically working on its strategic plan to build itself as a global leader in the sport shooting and hunting category.
