16 LOGISTICS


Pulp Paper & Logistics


C&H saved by


Downton acquisition U


K-based logisti cs specialist C M Downton Ltd, which has major clients


in the paper industry and a dominant share of the magazine distributi on business, has


acquired C & H (Hauliers) Ltd, rescuing 180 jobs and saving the £23million turnover business from liquidati on. C&H’s parent company, The Charles Gee Group, went into administrati on in October, with


Geoff Rowley, Phil Armstrong and Andrew Sheridan, partners of FRP Advisory, the specialist restructuring, advisory and recovery fi rm, appointed as joint administrators. Downton confi rmed the deal following negoti ati ons with FRP Advisory, and immediately took over all of C&H’s operati ons. Andrew Downton, managing


director of C M Downton Ltd, said: “The Downton Group has been looking to expand its business through either acquisiti on or mergers, and the C&H business was a perfect match. We both work in the same sectors – in parti cular with paper and publishing clients – and there are


November 2013 A key logisti cs supplier to the UK paper industry has been rescued. PPL reports


synergies for both businesses that made the deal a no-brainer. “C&H is a fantasti c business with a great heritage, which unfortunately had suff ered through the cash fl ow diffi culti es of the holding company. To be able to save this business – and its staff – while driving forward our own business was too good an opportunity to turn down. “We would like to clearly state


that Downton has absolute confi dence in Steve Mercer and the management team at C&H, and we will conti nue to work with them going forward as we build up this great business.” John Downton, operati ons director at C M Downton Ltd, added:


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