Midlands acquisitions at heart of Bunzl expansion plans

DISTRIBUTION group Bunzl has added bulk through a number of acquisitions, two of which are of firms based in the West Midlands.

Bunzl – a London-based plc – announced today it has made four acquisitions in the UK with aggregate annualised revenue of £34.8m.
 
The company has acquired Droitwich-based 365 Healthcare, which is engaged in the distribution of mainly own brand healthcare products, principally operating theatre drapes and gowns, procedure packs, disposable surgical instruments and dressings, to a variety of customers including hospitals, GP practices and private clinics. 

Its revenue was £10.9m in the year ended 31 December 2013.

And it has bought Wolverhampton-based Lee Brothers Bilston, which had revenue of £8.7m in the year ended 31 December 2013.

It supplies a variety of mainly branded personal protection equipment and workplace consumables to customers largely in the construction and engineering sectors. 

Outside this region, Bunzl has also purchased the Cheltenham-based Premiere Products cleaning and hygiene supplies distribution business of The Premiere Polish Company and Guardsman, which is based in Leicester and is engaged in the sale of a variety of safety equipment and workwear.

Financial details of the acquisitions have not been disclosed.
 
Michael Roney, chief executive of Bunzl, said: “365 Healthcare has expanded our product offering of medical consumables to the healthcare sector while Premiere Products has extended the breadth of our own brand product offering and has further strengthened our cleaning and hygiene supplies business. 

“The purchase of Lee Brothers and Guardsman together represent an important development for our safety business. 

“We are delighted to welcome each of the four businesses and their employees to Bunzl.”