York Mailing Group completes another acquisition
YORK Mailing Group, a UK market leader in the specialist production of retail flyers, media inserts and catalogues, has completed its second acquisition of the year.
The business, based in Elvington near York, has bought Go Direct Marketing (GDM).
Founded in 1999 and based in Otley, GDM has a strong background in mail order, retail marketing strategy and data analysis. Clients include Pure Collection, Cox & Cox, Wrap, Thompson & Morgan, The Handpicked Collection, French Connection & Brook Taverner and the business employs 10 staff.
The acquisition will enable York Mailing Group to develop a new data driven analytics division, strengthening the group’s offering to its customers across The Lettershop Group (which it acquired earlier this year), Pindar and York Mailing. In turn, the acquisition will enable GDM to expand its core business to a wider client base.
York Mailing Group now generates revenues of £110m per year and the enlarged business employs 530 staff across four sites.
The acquisitions come following investment from BGF, the independent company established to help the UK’s growing businesses, of £10m in 2013. BGF’s investment has provided the financial means for targeted acquisitions in the sector alongside the purchase of new state of the art printing presses, which will provide significant additional volume capacity and efficiency improvements to the group.
York Mailing was founded by Chris Ingram in 1999. It is managed by Chris Ingram, CEO, and Mike Newbould, COO. They have since grown the business organically and through the acquisition of niche print specialists to become the largest supplier of print to the UK retail sector.
Ingram said: “I am delighted with the addition of this business to the group portfolio and believe this adds another dimension to our customer offering.”
Adrian Scott, director at GDM, added: “I am thrilled with the acquisition by York Mailing Group and really looking forward to a new and exciting phase in the development of Go Direct Marketing. Being part of the largest and most innovative print provider to the retail sector in the UK, offers a real opportunity for us to strengthen and enhance our offering within the YM Group environment.”
Richard Taylor, investment director at BGF, said: “Chris and the team successfully acquired and integrated The Lettershop Group towards the end of last year and we were keen to see the business continue this expansion with anothervalue enhancing acquisition. These are strong businesses that are being brought under the wider York Mailing Group umbrella and will only add to the company’s already strong product and service offering.”
Giles Clegg and Joss Richardson of Lupton Fawcett Denison Till acted for the York Mailing group on the acquisition. Clegg said: “I am glad to have completed another successful acquisition for the York Mailing Group.”
Paul King of Clarion advised Adrian Scott of GDM on the sale.
