Zeus continues its expansion acquiring UK firms for €25m

Brian O'Sullivan's firm has acquired more than ten companies in the past three years

Richard Towers, Managing Director of Swanline Print pictured with Zeus Packaging's CEO Keith Okenden and the Swan Group's Chief Executive Nick Kirby.

Packaging firm Zeus continues its rapid expansion announcing the acquisition of two firms in the UK for more than €25m.

It brings to more than ten, the number of acquisitions Brian O'Sullivan's company has made in three years.

The addition this week of the Swanline Group and its sister company BoxMart mean Zeus is on track to be the largest sole shareholder packaging company in the world by 2023.

Combined, the two UK companies have a total revenue of more than €30m and will strengthen Zeus’s position in the retail, food & beverage and e-commerce packaging sectors. 

Swanline is a trade-only supplier to the packaging and point-of-sale sectors employing more than 150 people at four purpose-built sites. BoxMart offers gift, retail and e-commerce packaging. Its clients include Lush, Fever-Tree and Moet Hennessy. 

Zeus said the acquisitions will keep them on target to achieve €500m annualised revenue next year with revenues set to surpass €400m this year.

Established by Fermoy man O’Sullivan in 1998, Zeus now employs more than 870 people worldwide. It operates from 47 locations worldwide including Ireland, the UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Eastern Europe, New Zealand, Canada, China and Australia.

"Swanline Group and BoxMart bring with them long-established customer bases, in-depth knowledge about their respective sectors, and dedicated diverse teams who are committed to serving their customers," Zeus CEO Keith Ockenden said.

"As a combined entity, we have enhanced our reach and offering across the UK, with further opportunity to maximise efficiencies across our distribution and supply chains, whilst broadening our product and service offerings to our existing customers.”

Brian O’Sullivan, founder of Zeus said: “The addition of these businesses into our family will complement the range of solutions we provide our customers, strengthen design, creativity and innovation within packaging and introduce a depth of experience within new sectors.”

Last year, O’Sullivan was named Irish EY Entrepreneur of the Year and will this week compete in Monaco for the title of EY World Entrepreneur of The Year.