SDI Group, which designs, builds and supports integrated materials handling solutions for international retail, wholesale, fulfilment and e-commerce distribution operations, has bought four companies from PEP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH in Germany for 2.76m euros.
The four companies: PEP Fördertechnik, PEP Anlagenbau, PEP Systemtechnik and Innova Plast Kunststofftechnik, employ 46 staff and have customers that include C&A in Germany, DHL in Germany and Denmark, JBC in Belgium and La Poste in France.
In 2007, the four companies produced a combined pre-tax profit of 393,000 euros.
The acquisitions is part of the group’s expansion strategy initially into Germany, India and Brazil.
The four companies, along with the Group’s existing German software business, will form the foundation of SDI Germany, which will be run by the recently recruited former chief executive of a major global competitor.
Gordon Smith, chief executive of SDI Group said: “This acquisition of the PEP companies provides SDI Group with instant exposure to the fast growing German market and provides us with access to PEP’s market leading range of products which we will be able to sell to our customers worldwide.”
