LOS ANGELES, June 11, 2018 – Marlin Equity Partners (“Marlin”) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Bulk TV & Internet (“Bulk TV”) and DCI Design Communications LLC (“DCI”), two leading providers of free-to-guest television solutions and network connectivity to the lodging and institutions (“L&I”) industry. Marlin has merged the two leaders to create one of the L&I industry’s largest video, internet and voice service providers. This powerful combination of network technology systems will deliver the industry’s only platform capable of truly meeting the highest quality video, high-speed internet and voice communication needs of the L&I industry.
“Bulk TV and DCI are strong companies with stellar reputations, great leadership teams and robust workforces dedicated to providing their customers with superior service,” said Ryan Wald, a managing director at Marlin. “We are excited about the combination of two market leaders and the potential to transform the L&I industry by providing a true triple-play offering of internet, television and voice.”
Bulk TV and DCI are clear industry leaders that provide highly complementary TV and network connectivity solutions to the market. Bulk TV has consistently been recognized by DIRECTV as its number one provider to the lodging and institutions market for the last decade, in addition to winning numerous awards, including top hotel sales, top healthcare sales and lowest customer churn. DCI is widely recognized for its top-quality phone and internet solutions and currently provides services to all nine hotels on Architectural Digest’s list of Best New Hotels. Furthermore, DCI’s successful acquisition of EthoStream in 2017 established the company as one of the main players in network solutions for the hospitality industry.
Together, Bulk TV and DCI have preferred partner status with most major hotel flags in North America and a sizeable footprint in the hospital and senior living sector. The combination of the two companies creates a unique opportunity for customers looking to partner with a provider to collaborate on creating, testing and deploying leading edge technology solutions to better serve the L&I community.
“With Marlin as our partner, we have the financial support to execute on key strategic initiatives and the ability to leverage their expertise and resources to reach our next level of growth. Uniting Bulk TV and DCI positions us to become the leading triple-play provider for the hospitality and healthcare sectors,” said Dave O’Connell, CEO of Bulk TV, who will serve as CEO of the combined company.
Charbel Zreik, CEO of DCI remarked, “DCI and Bulk TV are incredibly complementary in their capabilities and this merger, a major win for both the hospitality technology industry and its customers, raises the bar for what should be expected from a network service provider. Combining our product portfolios and resources allows us to maximize our capabilities and invest further in innovations that ensure our customers have access to the best connectivity solutions and 24×7 services available.”
About Marlin Equity Partners
Marlin Equity Partners is a global investment firm with over $6.7 billion of capital under management. The firm is focused on providing corporate parents, shareholders and other stakeholders with tailored solutions that meet their business and liquidity needs. Marlin invests in businesses across multiple industries where its capital base, industry relationships and extensive network of operational resources significantly strengthen a company’s outlook and enhance value. Since its inception, Marlin, through its group of funds and related companies, has successfully completed over 130 acquisitions. The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California with an additional office in London. For more information, please visit www.marlinequity.com.
About Bulk TV & Internet
Bulk TV & Internet is the leading provider of DIRECTV solutions designed to meet the unique needs of the hospitality industry. Bulk TV provides services to more than 500,000 rooms nationwide including free-to-guest television programming and digital satellite TV systems, IPTV platforms, and over-the-top content delivery solutions. Each customized solution receives thorough quality assurance throughout every step of the process, which includes engineering, project management, professional installation, a comprehensive service warranty and 24/7 technical support. Additionally, Bulk TV & Internet offers enterprise-grade wireless network solutions and Mitel voice systems. For more information, please visit www.BulkTV.com.
About DCI Design Communications LLC
DCI Design Communications LLC is a managed services IT provider of high speed Internet access, data, hosted voice, phone/telecommunication and unified communications solutions. The company’s comprehensive offering includes networking, analog and IP guest room telephone, converged IP system, wireless, wireless site surveys and design, call accounting and voice mail system, IPTV and security cabling bandwidth management and reporting, television system, distributed antenna, tiered guest Internet bandwidth, guest mobility and Internet management, and low voltage technology system solutions. DCI is headquartered in Garden City, NY and has offices throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.dci-design.com.
For additional information, please contact Peter Spasov at (310) 364-0100 or via e-mail at pspasov@marlinequity.com.