Lee Brothers sold to Bunzl

Bunzl plc, the international distribution and outsourcing group, has acquired Lee Brothers Bilston Limited.

Based in the West Midlands, Lee Brothers are industry leaders in PPE, janitorial & cleaning, tools, painting & decorating, traffic management, electrical, health & safety, first aid, spill management, signage and stationery products. BCMS advised the shareholders of Lee Brothers on the deal, which completed in 2014.

Lee Brothers, which continued to operate under its own brand, supplies a variety of mainly branded personal protection equipment and workplace consumables to customers in the construction and engineering sectors. A specialist provider in its sector, the company is fully accredited to ISO 9001, 14001 & 18001 and Achilles RISQA (Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme).

Additional insights

Founded in 1854 and headquartered in London, Bunzl plc is an international distribution and services group with operations across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Bunzl reported revenues in excess of £9bn in 2019.

Bunzl is one of the world’s most experienced acquirers, completing more than 150 acquisitions since 2003 – including three client businesses of BCMS. For example, in 2008, BCMS advised on the sale of £21m turnover tool and equipment supplier A&E Russell to Bunzl, which was delighted with the Glasgow firm’s “excellent reputation and strong customer focus”, particularly among major housebuilders and their supply chains.