Lehvoss Acquires UK-Based Nutritionals Distributor Gee Lawson
18 Aug 2015 --- Lehvoss UK Limited, the UK subsidiary of Lehmann&Voss&Co., Hamburg has announced the successful acquisition of Gee Lawson Holdings Limited. This acquisition is a strategic move that strengthens the LEHVOSS Groups portfolio in the nutritional and life science sectors across Europe and globally.
Gee Lawson founded in 1936 and employing 34 with its head office in London, is a leading specialist distributor of ingredients into the Nutritional and Chemical life science sectors across Europe and the US. Ivan Pennington, Managing Director of Lehvoss UK noted to FoodIngredientsFirst that the price was undisclosed, but confirmed that it was “a significant investment for LEHVOSS UK and the wider LEHVOSS Group.”
Pennington said: “Gee Lawson provides a strategic opportunity and fits well with our vision for the future being focused on a sector in which we want to develop as a group. The working ethos of both Companies will ensure a good future as both businesses continue to provide quality service and products. It is very important that Gee Lawson continues doing what it does best and that we ensure successful business development. With the groups backing and support we firmly believe we can help Gee Lawson achieve their ambitious growth plans across Europe and the US.”
It is a wider entry for the company into Nutritionals. “Both LEHVOSS UK and the LEHVOSS Group have already developed business in the Nutritional sectors but it is fair to say that this has been with mostly mineral based materials (Magnesium Salts / MgO in particular). LEHVOSS UK has been leading the groups ambitions in Nutrition and as a result has driven this deal,” Pennington commented.
He added: “This deal places LUK formally in a strong market position in this sector and with the help of the wider LEHVOSS Group structure provides a fantastic opportunity to develop other European and the U.S. Markets. Further investments to strengthen our groups position in this strategic sector will follow after a period of consolidation.”
“The striking point in this acquisition is that there are no conflicts in the product portfolio which is rare these days. The group will allow Gee Lawson to develop under and unchanged management structure for the foreseeable future,” Pennington noted.
Jonathan Shorts, former owner of Gee Lawson stated, “we saw in LEHVOSS UK a Company with many of the key attributes we see in ourselves and it became an easy decision to join the Group. With their backing, we will be able to support and grow both our supply base and customers in helping develop sales and distribution throughout Europe and further, in line with our goals. The LEHVOSS Group offers us a great opportunity which my team and I are looking forward to.”
The LEHVOSS Group governed by Lehmann&Voss&Co., Hamburg, is a group of companies in the chemicals sector, which is developing, producing and marketing chemical and mineral specialities for various industrial clients. Lehmann&Voss& Co., Hamburg was founded in 1894 as a trading house. Since then, the owner-run company has evolved into a powerful global organization – with long-standing connections to prominent, mainly foreign suppliers with their own production sites.
