Menzies Distribution acquires JBT Distribution
In a deal that will add 200 vehicles and six operating sites to its network, Menzies Distribution has acquired JBT Distribution.
Based in Bathgate, West Lothian, with further depots in Aberdeen, Inverness, East Kilbride, Lerwick (Shetland) and Kirkwall (Orkney), JBT is a logistics and supply chain services business with annual sales of over £23 million.
The acquisition extends Menzies’ geographical reach across Scotland and adds to Menzies’ growing range of B2B retail logistics services.
Commenting on the acquisition, Greg Michael, Chief Executive Officer of Menzies, said: “We are gaining momentum at pace as we execute our ambitious strategy for growth and are delighted to acquire JBT. We believe that through combining the complementary business with Menzies, there are significant opportunities to grow both businesses through unlocking further geographical capability and expanding services to both sets of customers in Scotland and throughout the UK and Ireland. For both our businesses’ customers, it will be very much business as usual and we look forward to supporting their growth in the coming years and working with Robert Gordon, Donald Carmichael and the rest of the team at JBT to help deliver this. We warmly welcome our new colleagues and look forward to the next phase of our journey as an enlarged group.”
Robert Gordon, Director of JBT Distribution, added: “The Directors of JBT Distribution are delighted to announce the acquisition by Menzies Distribution. We believe that Menzies is aligned with the future strategic and growth plan in the sectors in which we operate and will enhance the service offering of the business both locally and nationally. There will be exciting and new opportunities for the staff at JBT, whose dedicated input to the business has taken it to the position it is in today. We wish them all continued success within the larger business group and know they will continue to support the customer base with the same level of dedication that has always been evidenced.”
The JBT acquisition represents the fourth major announcement of strategic importance made by Menzies over the past six months.
In December 2020, Menzies acquired Bibby Distribution, now Menzies Distribution Solutions, which it said would ‘unlock geographic potential for Menzies while adding 38 new operating sites and a large, young fleet to the well-established Menzies platform’. In January 2021, former Asda CEO Andy Clarke was appointed as Non-Executive Chairman. In May 2021, former Booker CEO Charles Wilson joined as a Non-Executive Director and new significant investor.
Menzies Distribution, which was acquired by Endless LLP in September 2018, operates from more than 100 sites across the UK and Ireland, distributing over 30 million units across its network every week, to more than 30,000 locations each day, including newspapers and magazines, retail stock, healthcare consumables and parcel delivery services.
