ACCO Brands Acquires Trust for $57 Million, Accelerating Pivot to $500M Gaming Peripherals Business

Fifty-seven million dollars is the price of ACCO Brands' latest leap into the gaming and technology peripherals arena. On August 14, 2026, the company announced a definitive agreement to acquire GXT Holding B.V., widely known as Trust, from the pan-European investment firm Egeria. The acquisition brings a recognized Dutch consumer electronics brand into ACCO's fold, accelerating a strategic pivot that fundamentally reshapes the company's revenue profile.[1][5]

For ACCO Brands—a company historically anchored by traditional office and learning staples like Swingline and Mead—the Trust acquisition represents a decisive shift toward higher-growth categories. By integrating Trust's portfolio of PC accessories, gaming gear, and smart home devices, ACCO expects its technology peripherals division to approach $500 million in pro forma annual sales. The move consolidates ACCO's position in a fiercely competitive hardware market, adding scale to a lineup that already includes Kensington, PowerA, and EPOS.[1][2]

Trust brings immediate financial weight to the table, generating approximately $100 million in annual revenue. Operating on an asset-light business model with outsourced manufacturing, the 40-year-old Netherlands-based company serves customers across Europe and Latin America through retail, e-commerce, and business-to-business channels. This established distribution network offers ACCO a turnkey solution to deepen its European market penetration without building infrastructure from scratch.[1][3]

Investors and analysts are closely watching the deal's mechanics, which will be financed through borrowings under ACCO Brands' revolving credit facility. Management projects the transaction will be modestly accretive to adjusted earnings per share within the first 12 months. Furthermore, ACCO anticipates realizing between $5 million and $8 million in cost synergies within 18 months of closing, driven by combined sourcing, distribution efficiencies, and shared European infrastructure.[5][7]

The integration of Trust aligns neatly with ACCO's existing brands, creating a formidable hardware ecosystem. Trust's dedicated gaming products will complement ACCO's PowerA business, which specializes in console controllers and charging solutions. Meanwhile, Trust's broader PC peripherals—such as keyboards, mice, and headsets—will slot in alongside Kensington and the recently acquired EPOS brand, creating a comprehensive lineup for both the connected workplace and the consumer gaming setup.[2][5]

ACCO Brands President and CEO Tom Tedford emphasized the strategic necessity of the deal, noting that the acquisition continues the company's deliberate shift toward higher-growth technology peripherals. Tedford highlighted the expected cost synergies as Trust is integrated into ACCO's broader European platform. The acquisition underscores a broader industry trend where scale and diversified product lines are increasingly vital to offset volatile consumer spending in the hardware sector.[4]

For Trust, the acquisition offers a pathway to global expansion that would have been difficult to achieve independently. Trust CEO Jeroen Hoogland described joining ACCO Brands as an exciting next chapter, pointing to ACCO's global scale, supply chain infrastructure, and established channel relationships. Hoogland noted that these resources will help Trust accelerate product innovation and reach a wider audience of consumers and business customers beyond its traditional European stronghold.[2][4]

Financial markets have responded to the strategic pivot with cautious optimism, noting the company's improving fundamentals and cash generation, though tempered by historical revenue volatility and elevated leverage. The transaction is expected to close in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions and applicable competition authority approvals. As the gaming hardware sector continues to consolidate, ACCO Brands is betting that a $500 million peripherals portfolio will be the engine that drives its next decade of growth.[3][4][7]