Clearwater International advises ReBOUND on its sale to Reconomy Group

Clearwater International has advised BGF and the shareholders of ReBOUND, a leading technology platform helping brands such as ASOS, Gymshark and Sweaty Betty manage their returns sustainably, on its sale to Reconomy Group (Reconomy), the provider of outsourced, asset-light services to the circular economy.

Founded in 2014 by Graham Best and Phil Smith, ReBOUND is a global leader in managed returns services, helping brands understand what’s being sent back to them and why, as well as providing a range of options on what to do with inbound items. The company specialises in working with fashion brands to offset the environmental impact of packaging, shipping and processing returns, helping brands calculate the most carbon-efficient routes, eliminate wasted transport miles and recycle goods wherever possible.

The acquisition is the latest in a line of investments as part of Reconomy’s strategic growth plan as the company pursues its ambition of becoming the leading global, asset-light circular economy platform. The Reconomy Group already includes many innovative, technology-enabled sustainability service providers, including RLG and Cycleon, the European returns logistics and compliance specialists, and Valpak, the UK’s largest packaging compliance scheme and data insight provider.

The transaction combines ReBOUND’s specialist returns platform with Reconomy Group’s vast portfolio of technology-enabled environmental services, including those provided by Reverse Logistics Group (RLG) and Cycleon, that help organisations tackle sustainability in a meaningful, cost-effective way. The addition of ReBOUND positions the Group as the leading global expert in asset-light, sustainable ecommerce returns and reverse logistics, just as COVID’s online shopping boom has increased the need for leading retail brands to manage their environmental impact.

ReBOUND will continue to operate under its own name while collaborating closely across the Reconomy Group, sharing technology, data and services as it continues to develop ways for retail to transform their returns practices. The addition of ReBOUND adds further breadth to the Reconomy Group offer, ultimately benefiting customers who will be able to manage returns in one place alongside resource management, setting and monitoring a common set of KPIs.