Packaging company Zeus has acquired Limerick Packaging, which supplies the Irish industrial and transit packaging market.

The deal is subject to CCPC approval.

Zeus, with 670 people employed across the world and a turnover of €325m, and was founded in 1998. Limerick Packaging, owned by Connie Ryan and Michael Boland, dates from 2002 and has annual turnover of c.€14m.

Zeus chief executive Keith Ockenden said: “The acquisition of Limerick Packaging is a major step in the next phase of our growth plan. 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. The additional operations in Limerick will bring our total storage and distribution capacity to over 600,000 sq ft throughout the country.”

“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 in Ireland and the UK.”

In Association with

Earlier this year, Zeus completed a €40m, two-year programme of strategic acquisitions with the purchase of Austrian firm Petruzalek, extending its reach to 26 countries. With the 45 Limerick Packaging staff joining the merged company, Zeus’s total workforce on the island of Ireland now numbers 221.

Limerick Packaging managing director Connie Ryan added: “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. We are all incredibly excited for the new opportunities and capabilities that being part of this global company will offer, ultimately to the benefit of our valued customers.”

Zeus was advised on the deal by OFX Solicitors in Cork.