Menzies buys Ireland’s EM News Distribution
Menzies Distribution has ramped up its presence in Ireland by buying the news and magazine wholesaler, EM News Distribution. Under the terms of the €3.6m deal, Menzies Distribution will increase its existing 50% interest in the company to 100%, buying out the remaining 50% share currently held by Irish retailer Eason.
Paul McCourt, Finance Director of Menzies Distribution, commented: “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 £55bn UK logistics market.
“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.”
EM News Distribution employs 193 operational staff who will join Menzies Distribution, and holds 44 directly-owned vehicles from a total fleet of 201. EM News Distribution has depots in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Urlingford, Galway, Limerick and Londonderry and also operates out of Waterford, Wexford, Kildare, Dundalk Mullingar, Longford and Tralee.
As previously reported by Post&Parcel, Menzies has been on the acquisition trail over the past 18 months, buying AJG Parcels, Thistle Couriers and Oban Express. The company is also working on a tie-up with the DX Group which it hopes to conclude this summer – although this move has been opposed by a group of DX shareholders led by Gatemore Capital.
