ADVANTAGES

Logistics group John Menzies has revealed a further acquisition with its distribution arm’s purchase of a London-based delivery firm that it says has the UK’S largest all-electric commercial vehicle fleet.

Menzies Distribution has bought Gnewt Cargo for an undisclosed sum, saying the deal backs its diversification strategy and drives forward expansion plans for its parcel consolidation services across the UK and Ireland.

Gnewt was founded in 2008, provides final-mile delivery services in central London for retailers, e-tailers and parcel carriers such as Hermes and TNT, and last year carried out more than three million deliveries in the UK capital.

Menzies Distribution said it aims to offer Gnewt’s brand of environmentally-friendly distribution to existing customers who are increasingly interested in sustainable logistics support.

Greg Michael, managing director of Menzies Distribution, said it “has long been focused on our environmental responsibilities. Acquiring Gnewt was an exciting oppor-

0 Gnewt Cargo has the UK’S largest all-electric commercial vehicle fleet

“This acquisition gives us a stronger, cleaner presence in the London market, and gives us a platform to introduce all-electric distribution to other city centres.”

MENZIES DISTRIBUTION MD tunity for us to advance our sustainability agenda whilst growing our neutral consolidation offer to the parcel market.

“Everyone recognises that goods need to be moved in and around congested city centres. The Gnewt model shows it can be done successfully whilst minimising environmental impacts.

“This acquisition gives us a stronger, cleaner presence in the London market, and with our national reach, gives us a platform to introduce all-electric distribution to other city centres in the UK.”

Menzies Distribution, which says it makes 300,000 deliveries a day to 25,000 individual destinations, covering an aggregate 135,000 miles, added that it has “substantially” invested in and diversified its operations beyond the traditional newspaper and magazine distribution market where sales have fallen, while it has made headway in e-commerce and logistics growth sectors in the last 18 months.

It also said it has reinforced