Latest deal follows earlier off-load of envelopes and Reflex copy paper.

 

Hamelin Brands has acquired the Opal Australian Paper stationery business, which includes the Olympic exercise books portfolio and the Optix coloured paper range.

 

The sale follows Japanese-owned Opal’s exit early last year from the white paper office paper market, which resulted in the company’s sale of its envelope business to the  Camerons Group in September and the acquisition of the Reflex copy paper brand by Double A in October.

 

“The acquisition of the Opal stationery business represents a significant milestone in our journey to continue to expand our offering into education in Australia,” Nicholas Afriat, managing director of Hamelin Brands (Australia), said. 

 

“We will invest in brands such as Olympic and Optix, to build on their already strong market position,” he said.

 

“ We shall continue to develop products to meet the evolving needs of students as well as educators. In the coming weeks, you can expect to hear more exciting developments stemming from this announcement,” he added.

 

The Hamelin Group is a family-owned French business founded in 1864.

 

In statement, Opal said: “The transition and timings of completion of the sale are being finalised, however Opal is committed to working closely with Hamelin Brands Australia to ensure a smooth transition for our partners.”