by Stuart Williams
Partner
3 April 2023
Press Releasesby Stuart Williams
Partner
We are pleased to announce our role as Corporate Finance adviser to the shareholders of Norman Global Logistics (“Norman” or “Norman Global”) on its sale to Janssen Group of Companies (“Janssen”). Through its acquisition of Norman, Janssen enters the UK logistics market and expands its presence in Asia.
Founded in 1970, Norman Global Logistics operates 5 UK and 7 Asian offices. With a team of 126 staff, Norman Global has been providing air and ocean freight forwarding services for over 5 decades.
Janssen, backed by Waterland Private Equity and headquartered in the Netherlands, is a leading provider of logistics solutions, including distribution, warehousing, fulfilment, air and ocean freight, parcel management and technical installation services. The acquisition of Norman by Janssen brings significant benefits to the customers of both companies and marks the fifth transaction by Janssen in the past 10 months, reflecting their commitment to strategic expansion and growth.
The team at James Cowper Kreston were led by Stuart Williams and Jack Griggs. Stuart commented, “We are delighted to have advised Norman on this cross-border transaction. The shareholders and the whole team have built a fantastic business and a market leader in their sector. I believe they have found a great new home in Janssen Group and am sure they will continue to go from strength to strength under their stewardship.”
“We are excited to welcome Norman to the Janssen family,” said Rob Linders, CEO of Janssen. “With this acquisition, we are expanding our geographical reach and enhancing our customer service capabilities. Norman Global Logistics has an excellent reputation in the logistics industry, and we are looking forward to working together to further improve our combined capabilities.”
“This is an exciting time for Norman Global Logistics,” said Peter O’Brien, Martin Rue and Stefan Holmqvist, Managing Directors of Norman Global Logistics. “We are delighted to be joining Janssen Group of Companies and look forward to working together to offer a wider range of services to our clients. With the support of Janssen’s network and resources, we are confident that we can continue to grow and provide the same excellent service that our clients expect.”
Peter O’Brien further commented “Stuart and his team at James Cowper Kreston found a buyer that fitted our remit perfectly and guided us skillfully and professionally through the sale process during challenging times in our sector. We felt well supported in areas that we were not familiar with and needed to draw on their wealth of experience to bring the sale to completion.”
Advisers to Norman Global were James Cowper Kreston Corporate Finance and Field Seymour Parkes. DLA Piper provided legal advice to Janssen alongside Deloitte who provided financial and tax due diligence.