Ark-H acquires another high quality brand
Ark-H Handling Limited has confirmed the successful acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Handling Matters Limited, a high quality handling and response management company based in St. Albans. (12th May 2008)
This acquisition, following the acquisition of Diss Promotional Services (2006) and of the handling and fulfilment operations of stm (2007), further strengthens Ark-H’s position in the market as one of the UK’s leading full service handling and fulfilment organisations.
Last year the Directors of Handling Matters, Vince Tickel and Barry Salmon, agreed that, in order to fulfil its potential, the company needed either to invest heavily in new facilities or to find a new home within a larger group. “The Ark-H environment seemed like an ideal choice,” said Barry Salmon. “Ark-H and Handling Matters have a very similar business ethos and culture: both organisations are driven by the desire to offer excellent client service. Ark-H is a perfect fit for us, aligning the strategies and ambitions that we have for Handling Matters with the continuing support and development of our sales proposition and company values.”
This view is certainly shared by Ark-H. Fiona Strong, Group Managing Director, is delighted with the newest addition to the Group. “The companies fit extremely well together – in terms of corporate values, client base and culture. Both Ark-H and Diss have worked with Handling Matters on several projects for a number of years and it almost seems like a natural progression that they have become part of the Group.”
In the early summer, Handling Matters will relocate their business and staff to the Ark-H facility in Bedford where they will maintain their brand identity as a separate business unit, known as Handling Matters at Ark-H. Once Handling Matters are on site in Bedford they will be able to offer their existing clients the benefits of more space, improved logistics technology and web-based platforms for management reporting.
“This is the third company we’ve acquired recently and in every case we have bought something that is close enough to our business model so that we can fully understand and absorb it,” Fiona says of Ark-H’s business development plans. “But we also look for that special something to bring an additional dimension to the Group - and their high levels of customer care, commitment to quality and loyal client base ensure that Handling Matters fits that bill.”
