Zeus, the Irish-owned global packaging solutions company, has today announced the acquisition of Limerick Packaging, a leading supplier to the Irish industrial and transit packaging market.
The company said that the acquisition marks an ongoing investment strategy by Zeus to expand its capabilities in the corrugated packaging sector across Ireland.
Speaking on the announcement, Keith Ockenden, CEO, Zeus said, “Integrating both Limerick Packaging’s and Zeus’s industrial and transit packaging reach in Ireland, coupled with our foothold in the UK market, will deliver economies of scale, operational efficiencies, and customer service improvements.
"It will also allow us to provide a more comprehensive range of products and services for our combined customers. Zeus has sourcing capabilities across Europe and this move will realise greater supply chain security to our business within Ireland.
"The additional operations in Limerick will bring our total storage and distribution capacity to over 600,000 square feet throughout the country,” Ockenden added.
Comprehensive Investment
Zeus said that it intends to 'comprehensively invest' in its industrial and transit packaging offering, strengthening its current infrastructure through the acquisition of Limerick Packaging.
To capitalise on the growth in this market on the island of Ireland, Zeus said it will invest in staff, design, and technical capabilities, along with expanding the range of products and services available.
“Growth in the home delivery sector is seeing demand for packaging increase by over 20%. It will better enable us to provide both bespoke and off-the-shelf solutions to Irish businesses and cements our ambition of becoming the leading industrial and transit packaging supplier across Ireland and the UK,” said Ockenden.
Turnover
Founded in 2002 by Connie Ryan and Mike Boland, Limerick Packaging has an annual turnover of €17.4 million.
The business has focused on providing corrugated packaging solutions to the health and food processing sectors.
Established by Brian O’Sullivan in 1998, Zeus has an annualised turnover of €325 million and employs 670 people worldwide.
The addition of Limerick Packaging’s 45 staff will bring Zeus’s personnel on the island of Ireland to 221.
Connie Ryan, managing director of Limerick Packaging, said, “Zeus is a company that we have admired since we first started our business almost 20 years ago and we are excited with the opportunity to become part of the Zeus family."
"Our team are specialists in their field and are looking forward to sharing their insights and experience with the Zeus team," he added.
'Strategic Acquisitions'
Earlier this year, Zeus completed a €40 million, two-year programme of strategic acquisitions with the purchase of Austrian firm Petruzalek, expanding the group’s distribution and logistics capabilities in food and industrial packaging across 26 countries worldwide.
Assisting Zeus in the purchase of Limerick Packaging with funding, tax and legal advice, and financial due diligence were Sean O’Keeffe, Ulster Bank and OFX Solicitors in Cork.
2021 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more packaging news click here. Click sign up to subscribe to Checkout.
