The Expendable Supply Stores (ESS) division of Matthews Studio Equipment Group, the Burbank, CA-based provider of lighting and grip equipment and related entertainment production supplies, purchased Entertainment Resources Inc. division Olesen earlier this year. The transaction was valued at $2 million.
The acquisition of Olesen by ESS, which has offices in Miami and Burbank, expands ESS' access into the theatrical market and Southern California. Olesen's president, Marge Romans, remains president of the new entity, ESS Olesen Operations, and much of Olesen's management team remains intact. Olesen is now part of a stable of firms that includes Media Lighting Supply and Hollywood Rentals.
Says Romans, "The combination of Olesen's theatrical market knowledge, production experience, and location with the immense amount of new products available from ESS will allow the combined entity to serve not only the theatrical marketplace, but expand our services into new geographical markets."