A Deal that's good for Great Bear and good for Tattenhall

Last month Culina Group, the market-leading provider of shared-user FMCG logistics services, announced an agreement to take over Tattenhall-based Great Bear Distribution Limited.

With an overall turnover of more than £400 Million, a combined workforce of around 5,000 staff, approaching 7.5 million square feet of warehousing and a joint fleet of more than 600 vehicles, the Culina Group has significantly strengthened its market leading position in the Ambient Logistics Sector.

"Great Bear and Culina are absolutely complementary businesses, two strong organisations with great reputations, two like-minded companies with similar cultures. This is an excellent fit which is going to be fantastic for staff and for clients", said Thomas van Mourik, Chief Executive of Culina Group, "We are acquiring some excellent contracts, facilities and people. This move significantly expands our ambient network and will enable us to benefit from synergies and efficiencies that will improve our service offer to customers even further."

The acquisition extends the existing Culina network to fifty strategically located distribution centres in the UK following the addition of the thirty two facilities currently owned and operated by Great Bear.

"The retention of the Great Bear brand name is testimony to the hard work of our people over the past twenty one years. Culina Group recognises that it is investing in a highly successful company with its own great spirit. Culina's aim now is to support our growth trajectory with the added workforce infrastructure and resources of the overall Group," said Glenn Lindfield – Chief Executive of Great Bear Distribution Limited.

"The Great Bear Board believes this move makes strong commercial sense. The combining of our two businesses will create major opportunities for significantly growing our market share."

A spokesman for Great Bear was extremely positive about the deal and anticipates that it will create more jobs in Tattenhall over the coming months.