Canon Communications to be Sold to United Business Media; Transaction Expands Global Reach of Canon’s Advanced Manufacturing and Design Focus

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Canon Communications
LLC today announced that it has agreed to be acquired by United Business Media Limited, a
leading global business media company.  The agreement was
arranged by Apprise Media,
LLC, the management/investment company of Canon Chairman and
CEO Charles G. McCurdy, and Spectrum Equity
Investors, Apprise’s private equity partner.  Apprise and
Spectrum acquired Canon in 2005.

“The last five years have seen strong growth at Canon across all
categories, notwithstanding a difficult past two years for the
B-to-B media industry as a whole,” said McCurdy.  “The outlook
for Canon remains very promising.  We have already laid the
groundwork for significant continued growth in trade shows, digital
media, and data products.  Under UBM’s ownership, Canon’s
businesses will continue to expand their global reach and ability
to meet the information, events and data needs of advanced
manufacturing and design engineering companies wherever and however
they do business.  Canon’s audiences and marketing customers
can expect to see ever more compelling offerings in this next phase
of Canon’s growth under UBM.”

Under Apprise’s stewardship over the past five years, Canon
Communications dramatically increased its scope of products,
services and delivery platforms supporting the advanced
manufacturing and design sector.  Canon now offers trade shows
in eight countries around the world, up from two, as well as many
more offerings around the United States.  Digital and data
comprise 40% of Publishing revenues, up from 9%.  On the data
side, the Master Audience File has dramatically enhanced Canon’s
ability to target its markets in uniquely effective ways.  In
addition, Canon has built one of the most eff

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