GIE Media Acquires Branch-Smith Publishing's Horticultural Titles

Editor's note: GIE Media, parent company of Quality Assurance and Food Safety magazine, announced that, effective Aug. 29, it had acquired substantially all of the assets of Fort Worth, Texas-based Branch-Smith Publishing. Following the sale, GIE Media distributed the following press release.

RICHFIELD, Ohio — GIE Media has acquired substantially all of the assets of Fort Worth, Texas-based Branch-Smith Publishing. This development adds four titles to GIE: Greenhouse Management & Production, Nursery Management & Production, Garden Center and Garden Center Product Source.

In making the acquisition, GIE significantly extends its position serving the commercial horticultural and specialty markets.

“We are excited to add these publications to our company and build upon the proud history and market commitment the Branch family has demonstrated since 1915. We’re humbled by the deep roots and strong tradition of these market-leading titles,” said GIE President and Chief Operating Officer Christopher W. Foster in announcing the acquisition. “The addition of these four titles to GIE Media provides us the opportunity to serve a new segment of business managers in markets important to a large cross-section of our current customer base.”

Prior to the acquisition, GIE served the horticulture markets through its Lawn & Landscape, Golf Course Industry and Commercial Dealer magazines.

“GIE has been fueled by strategic acquisitions and innovative media extensions over the years, but the real secret to our success has been an ongoing willingness to invest in products and build upon them by creating strong relationships with our readers and advertising customers,” said GIE Executive Vice President Dan Moreland.

“We’re pleased that our Branch-Smith publications have been acquired by GIE Media,” said Mike Branch, president of Branch-Smith Publishing. “It was important to us when we made the difficult decision to exit this part of our family’s heritage business that we find a company that would be truly committed to elevating our magazines to the next level of market value. We’re confident GIE Media is that company, and we’re excited by their plans to make important investments to extend the business values established by four generations of our family.”

GIE Media is a leading B-to-B media company active in some 15 industries through trade magazines, Web sites and interactive media, conferences and tradeshows, reference books and directories and market databases. A privately-held company, GIE employs nearly 100 media professionals with offices in Richfield, Ohio, as well as Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, Virginia Beach, Va., and now Fort Worth.

Branch-Smith, a family business based in Fort Worth, Texas, will continue to focus on its award-winning Branch-Smith Printing company, which specializes in books, catalogs, directories and other print solutions for publishers.