Zeus Packaging starts 2023 with further expansion as it acquires Polish company

Polpack move comes on top of the €75m of revenue that Brian O'Sullivan's packaging firm added through acquisition last year

Zeus Group owner and founder Brian O'Sullivan (second from left) with Polpack's commercial director Kamil Wolinski; its owner Wojciech Zdzieborski, and general manager Maciej Gomolka as Zeus announced the acquisition of Polpack.

Zeus Packaging has begun 2023 with another acquisition with the completion of a deal to acquire Polish firm Polpack.

It is a further consolidation of operations across Europe for Zeus, founded by Cork man Brian O’Sullivan.

Polpack is a leader in packaging materials distribution and packaging machinery in Poland. Established in 1993, the privately-owned firm has grown annual revenues to more than €8.5m per annum.

Headquartered in Warsaw, Polpack has seven sales offices throughout Poland supported by warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing facilities with over 40 staff.

The acquisition highlights Zeus’ continued appetite for expansion.

During the past 12 months, the firm has added a further €75m of revenue through acquisition. This latest purchase represents the start of a programme of further growth plans in 2023 aimed at navigating the business to revenues of more than €500m.

Since O’Sullivan founded the firm in 1998, it has continued to expand. Today the company operates from 51 locations and now employs 900 people. For the past 15 years, Zeus has grown at an average rate of 25% per annum.

Brian O’Sullivan telling his business story at Cork Chamber's annual dinner in Cork City Hall last week. Founded in 1998, Zeus now operates from 51 locations and employs 900 people. Picture: Darragh Kane

Their customers include Lidl, Aldi, ABP, Harrods, Musgrave, Ryanair, and McDonald’s.

Brian O’Sullivan said their journey over the years has provided opportunities to strengthen its capability, widen their offering, and learn new disciplines.

“The addition of the Polpack businesses into our family will complement the range of solutions we provide our customers, enhance our technical capability within Poland, and strengthen resources throughout Europe,” he said.

Zeus CEO Keith Ockenden said their European reach has strategically expanded during the past two years with Zeus now operating across 16 countries.

“Polpack’s capabilities in the provision of packaging and machinery solutions compliments our strategy to diversify our offering across Europe within the industrial and transit packaging sector enabling us to offer clients options to consolidate supply chains and leverage greater value.”