Tarsus Regulatory News (TRS)

12 September 2017

Tarsus Group plc

("Tarsus" or "the Group")

Expansion of Mexican Joint Venture

Tarsus Group plc (LSE:TRS), the international business-to-business media group, announces that it has agreed terms with E.J. Krause & Associates, Inc. ("EJK") to expand its 50% owned joint venture (the "JV") in Mexico, resulting in the JV now owning all EJK Mexico's event portfolio.

The JV was established in 2013, initially holding two leading events in Mexico: Plastimagen (plastics industry) and Expo Manufactura (metalworking/ manufacturing). These events have delivered strong growth since the formation of the JV, Expo Manufactura achieved a record performance in February 2017 and bookings for Plastimagen (November 2017) are ahead of its previous edition.

This latest agreement sees the JV acquire nine further events in Mexico from EJK. These new events include industry leading brands such as Mexico Wind Power (energy), Green Expo (environmental energy and waste), EBIO (beauty and cosmetics), Intertraffic (traffic and road infrastructure) and Expo Produccion (textiles). This transaction will result in the JV being the largest international exhibition company in Mexico, a relatively fragmented but high growth emerging market, with both domestic and international growth angles. The JV also provides a platform for Tarsus to continue to launch new replications, drawing on Tarsus' existing major brands, which has already seen the successful launch of GESS (launched 2015) and Airport Solutions (2017) into Mexico.

EJK has been one of the major international organizers in Mexico for the past 25 years and is also one of the largest privately held exhibition companies in the world. Headquartered in the US, EJK creates globally recognized brand leading events. EJK has a growing portfolio of over 40 events in 14 different industries.

Douglas Emslie, Tarsus Group Managing Director, said:

"Mexico remains a large and fast-growing market. This agreement enables Tarsus to acquire a 50% stake in the remaining EJ Krause portfolio in Mexico - building on our successful relationship over the last four years.

"I am excited to grow this leading Mexican event portfolio and we will continue to launch collaborative replications of Tarsus' brands in Mexico, following the successful replications to date."

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Notes to editors

Tarsus Group plc. (LSE:TRS) is an international business-to-business media group with interests in exhibitions, publishing and online media. The Group operates globally in the US and Americas, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, Turkey and Europe, in key verticals including aviation, medical, labels and packaging, discount clothing (Off-Price), travel, housewares and automotive. 

Tarsus runs more than 100 events and websites and its flagship brands include the Labelexpo Global Series in Europe, the Americas and Asia and the Dubai Airshow.

The Group operates across a worldwide network of offices in Dublin, London, Jakarta, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Boca Raton (Florida), Dubai, Shanghai and Istanbul.

For more information visit www.tarsus.com.