Belgium-based card producer Cartamundi has acquired Naipes Comas, Spain's oldest existing playing card manufacturer.

Naipes Comas has a history dating back to 1797. The company remained solely in the hands of the Comas family until 1954, when new partners were taken on and the firm Naipes y Especialidades Graficas S.A. created.

"This takeover reinforces our position on the Spanish market," said Chris Van Doorslaer, CEO of Cartamundi. "Since 2002 Cartamundi has had a sales subsidiary in Barcelona, but we lacked the traditional Spanish faces that are important to achieve a breakthrough in Spain."

The "traditional Spanish faces" refer to the symbols used on Spanish cards. Instead of the four suits used internationally in casinos, cards produced for the Spanish public feature the clubs, cups, swords and coins generally associated with tarot cards.

The Comas product range features international and local playing cards, tarot decks, promotional cards, cards for children's games and collectibles. Included in the mix is the Dali Tarot deck, specially designed by the famed artist for the 1973 James Bond film, "Live and Let Die."

Cartamundi has its own extensive range of products for consumers and commercial enterprises, including cards for casino use. The company produces licensed cards based on popular film franchises such as James Bond and Harry Potter, and was named Disney's "Licensee of the Year" for its Disney Pixar Action cards.

Production of Comas cards and the Dali Tarot deck will be transferred to the Cartamundi home facility at Turnhout, Belgium.

Cartamundi is also said to be negotiating the takeover of an unnamed card manufacturer in India.

Cartamundi generated sales of €123 million in 2009. The company employs 1,000 people at manufacturing facilities in Belgium, Germany, U.K., Poland, U.S.A., Brazil and Mexico and sales offices in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, Chile and Singapore.

By Staff