Menzies Distribution in €3.6m swoop for Irish firm
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Edinburgh-based Menzies Distribution already owns 50 per cent of EM News, which employs almost 200 operational staff across Ireland, and is buying the remaining stake held by Irish books retailer Eason.
• READ MORE: Menzies in talks to merge distribution arm with DX
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Hide AdFinance director Paul McCourt said: “This acquisition comes at a great time for our business and firmly reinforces the strategy we have been pursuing in recent years. We are continuing to build a business of scale with national coverage to offer services to the £55 billion UK logistics market.”
Menzies Distribution, which is planning a reverse takeover of parcels business DX Group, employs about 3,500 people and has been expanding its presence in the e-commerce deliveries market with a string of recent acquisitions, including AJG Parcels, Thistle Couriers and Oban Express. It now delivers more than three million items a year.
It has also bolstered its portfolio of retail logistics contracts, which include a three-year national deal for WH Smith’s national network of 1,200 stores, and a UK-wide contract with catering equipment supplier Nisbets.
McCourt added: “Taking full control of EM News Distribution gives us the opportunity to bring our full expertise to bear on serving the newstrade sector across Ireland.
“It also provides us with a similar platform to explore new logistics services in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, similar to the approach we have been taking across Scotland, England and Wales.”